First trip from UK with 2 small kids. Help in general planning.

[kitjos]

Hello. New to posting in this forum but been lurking for a year or so .

We are planning a trip to WDW May '17 (at the beginning as crowd levels seem lower than late May) - we haven't ever been to America before, let alone WDW which is a must do on our lists. Me and husband love theme parks so want to try out all the rides. I understand we can use 'rider swap' which seems suitable for us as we will be going with our DD 4.5yo & DS 2yo. Our DD is tall for her age so will be able to do many rides by height requirement, but possibly not by fear factor, guess we can gage that when we get there.

Thanks to the disney offer, we can stay at a moderate hotel for 10 nights and get free quick service dining & $200 disney dollars for a v good price - we were thinking of staying at Port Orleans - Riverside. Has anyone with little ones stayed here? Looks nice for pleasant walks on an evening etc.

Im planning this mainly on my own as husband doesnt really get involved with the planning stages, i just cant believe just HOW much there is to plan!

We will get free transportation to the hotel by wdw bus, then i guess its all learning and negotiating from then on. We plan to take a single stroller (for DS) and a boogie board attachment for daughter if she gets tired of walking. I hear taking your own double pushchair can be v cumbersome on the buses on route to the parks.

Just incase anyone wondering, this isnt the one and only trip we will make to wdw, if we enjoy it when im sure we will be back when kids 6yo+.

Has anyone got any insider tips or tricks they can share? Any first hand experience? Love to hear other who have been there and done it

Many thanks xxx

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Welcome aboard fellow Brit

You're correct with the Quick Serve Free Dining when staying at a Moderate Resort - save you a penny or two.

MDE buses will transport you from Orlando Int airport - NOT Sanford so check which airport you're landing at.

POR - never stayed here but we've stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter. Its approx half the size of POR so a little more intimate. Buses stop right outside the front entrance whereas POR they drive around the resort. If you're on the last pick up bus stop you may see some drive by full. Also, both resorts have the boats that will take you to Disney Springs - a nice alternative to the buses.

UK Tickets have the Park Hopper option included - you can visit the theme parks and the water parks in the same day, or visit two different theme parks in the one day.

You mention evening strolls around the resort - don't forget the fireworks at night in the parks. Returning to your Resort for afternoon naps is best for the little ones if you're planning to see them. To be honest, you'd be foolish to miss them.

Book as early as you can. While you're on the QS Dining Plan you will want to do at least one character meal - we find that the buffet breakfasts are best (eat as much as you like) - additionally, breakfast is cheaper than dinner when doing a table serve meal. Consider Crystal Palace (Pooh and friends) at MK, Tusker House (Mickey and the gang) at AK, Chef Mickeys (Mickey etc) at The Contemporary Resort, or, 1900 Park Fare (Alice, Mad Hatter etc) at The Grand Floridian Resort. Both resorts are on the monorail and handy for Magic Kingdom afterwards. If you're doing a table serve meal (character breakfast) you can book from the UK with an 0800 phone number (free) 180 days before you arrive - best to if you're doing Crystal Palace before park opening - can't beat walking down an empty Main Street.

Finally - Fast Passes - you can book these at 60 days out (when staying onsite)

Start planning NOW !!!!

 

[kitjos]

Thank you so much for reply! . I was expecting a back lash for taking a 2yo! lol.

Yeh i will check the airport arrival, im still trying to get flights from London without using Gatwick (furthest away from us) but im not having much luck. Do you take your luggage with you on the bus or did you have them transferred to the hotel a few hours later? Id rather keep them on me so guess bus has space for luggage :/.

Ive seen few posts about catching the bus at PO. Think if we get a bad day, then maybe we could walk to POFQ and get the bus from there? Is it about 10 min walk between sites?

Cant believe i forgot about the fireworks at MK!!.... my word. I assume the hotel or park gives you a timetable with then eve fireworks and day time shows are on? Would love to see there, even if its working around an afternoon nap at hotel. We dont like to rush around so a dip in the pool during the day sounds bliss.

Didnt even know park hopper was a thing?! Thanks for mentioning it, we plan to go to different parks morn/eve.

Character meal sounds fab! Will look at either chef mickey or pooh bear - they are my DD favourite, maybe DS will have his own fav in a years time.

Will try and use the fasspass wisely - do you get 3 a day? Do you need to use them on kiddy rides (Jungle cruise/barnstormer etc)? Or save them for the big adult rides?

x

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Do you take your luggage with you on the bus or did you have them transferred to the hotel a few hours later? Id rather keep them on me so guess bus has space for luggage :/.

We've always had a hire car - but yes, your luggage goes with you. Remember to keep essentials in your hand luggage for the little one

Ive seen few posts about catching the bus at PO. Think if we get a bad day, then maybe we could walk to POFQ and get the bus from there? Is it about 10 min walk between sites?

Absolutely no idea

Didnt even know park hopper was a thing?! Thanks for mentioning it, we plan to go to different parks morn/eve.

You'll def be glad that the Hopper is included with UK tickets

Cant believe i forgot about the fireworks at MK!!.... my word. I assume the hotel or park gives you a timetable with then eve fireworks and day time shows are on?

The Walt Disney UK site has everything you need for planning, from park hours (posted from 6 months out) to timings for parades, fireworks, meet and greets etc etc. Additionally, you can pick up park maps with timings etc from your resort or at the park entrances / in gift shops
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/?CMP=ILC-DPFY14Q2DISUK0001

Will try and use the fasspass wisely - do you get 3 a day? Do you need to use them on kiddy rides (Jungle cruise/barnstormer etc)? Or save them for the big adult rides?

When you get to your 60 day point you can book 3 FP per person, per day. The 3 FP must be in the same park. After your 3 have been used or the time of the last one has passed, you can go to a kiosk and pick a 4th, when you've used that a 5th etc. If you're park hopping I would recommend getting to the first park early and choosing your FP for the second park. Additionally, if you're in one park and plan to Hop, you cannot book FP for the second park from the first parks kiosks - you must physically be there

BTW - whereabouts in London are you ? I'm from Manchester but my eldest is living in Chiswick

 

[buseegal]

Thank you so much for reply! . I was expecting a back lash for taking a 2yo! lol.

Yeh i will check the airport arrival, im still trying to get flights from London without using Gatwick (furthest away from us) but im not having much luck. Do you take your luggage with you on the bus or did you have them transferred to the hotel a few hours later? Id rather keep them on me so guess bus has space for luggage :/.

Ive seen few posts about catching the bus at PO. Think if we get a bad day, then maybe we could walk to POFQ and get the bus from there? Is it about 10 min walk between sites?

Cant believe i forgot about the fireworks at MK!!.... my word. I assume the hotel or park gives you a timetable with then eve fireworks and day time shows are on? Would love to see there, even if its working around an afternoon nap at hotel. We dont like to rush around so a dip in the pool during the day sounds bliss.

Didnt even know park hopper was a thing?! Thanks for mentioning it, we plan to go to different parks morn/eve.

Character meal sounds fab! Will look at either chef mickey or pooh bear - they are my DD favourite, maybe DS will have his own fav in a years time.

Will try and use the fasspass wisely - do you get 3 a day? Do you need to use them on kiddy rides (Jungle cruise/barnstormer etc)? Or save them for the big adult rides?

x

granted we do not have trip from UK but we have taken kids at 15 to 18 months on different trips so did not think twice about 2 year old. do not now if your get Disney Jr show but HS has Disney Jr characters at breakfast

 

[jaklgreen]

Once you are on property then you do not have to worry about transportation. Disney makes things pretty easy. They have buses that go to all of the parks and disney springs. Buses come every 20 minutes or so to your resort so by the time you walk to the FQ side then another bus would have come. Just do not be in a rush. With the time change, and the ages of your kids, I would take it slow and get done what you can and not worry about the rest. Their is no way you will be able to do everything in one trip. POR is a very nice resort and I am sure you guys will love it.

 

[kitjos]

Thank you everyone for the replies .

Really looking forward to it, and im glad others have taken kids when they were young, im sure they will enjoy it! Just to see the sights and witness the sounds and the smells... will be amazing. I keep watching youtube vids from ithemepark but to experience it first hand will be awesome! x

 

[IMFearless]

Hi and welcome to the Forums. As a fellow UK resident and Disney veteran I am sure you're going to love both WDW and POR.

It is totally worth travelling to the US parks as they are a totally different experience to Paris.

From experience, try and involve your husband in the parts he is interested in and don't overwhelm him with more information than he needs.

My biggest bit of advice is this: given both the age of your children and the fact that a Disney vacation is new to you, appreciate that you will all get a much better experience by doing everything you choose to do well and in a relaxed way, than trying to do absolutely everything and not stopping to enjoy the rich detail of everything the resort has to offer. 50% done well, is a far better experience than 100% done badly.

Allow yourself more time than you think for travelling to dining reservations or Fastpass reservations, travelling between hotel and parks takes longer than you expect, especially with young children, take your time by giving yourself more time than you think. Far better to leave earlier and arrive in advance than to feel under pressure to be rushing and getting stressed.

You are already way ahead of the average guest because you have found a great resource for tips and general information. One final tip, if you have an ASDA near by they sell clear plastic pencil cases for 50p or £1 which are great for keeping spare cash, credit cards, mobile phones safe and dry while on rides. As you have a stroller you can abandon it in the stroller parking and just take your valuables out to carry with you.

If you want any specific advice or have any questions please feel free to PM me. Have a great trip.

 

[IMFearless]

http://www.disboards.com/threads/the-fastpass-frequently-asked-questions-superthread.3491680/

This is a great thread with FAQ about Fastpass and how it works.
(Albeit on another site)

 

[mimitchi33]

There are a lot of wonderful rides for toddlers there. Here are some I'd recommend:

Magic Kingdom
-Anything in Fantasyland (I recommend you spend time here the most at MK)
-Monsters Inc Laugh Floor
-Tom Sawyer Island (I don't know if it's still open...)

EPCOT:
-Journey into Imagination with Figment (One of my childhood favorites. Kids love it!)
-Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival (A nice break from the heat!)
-Epcot Character Spot (If your children like Inside Out or Big Hero 6, arrive early! These characters are very popular and have long lines.)
-Gran Fiesta Tour (A relaxing ride starring classic Disney characters.)
-Kidcot Fun Stops (I don't know if these exist, either, but I did see something with Duffy...)

Hollywood Studios
-For The First Time In Forever: A Frozen Sing Along Celebration (If your kids love Frozen, they'll love this! It's very funny and entertaining. Arrive early to this-it fills up fast.)
-Voyage of The Little Mermaid (A short and sweet little show.)
-Beauty and the Beast Live
-Muppet Vision 3D
-Disney Junior Live on Stage!

Animal Kingdom
-Festival of the Lion King (Your kid can sometimes get picked to dance to the songs in the show!)
-Any animal exhibits
-Dinorama

Also, I reccomend you take a break and discover the wonders of this part of America in your spare time. Stop at American stores and buy American souviners for your family and friends, too!

 

[jaklgreen]

Thank you everyone for the replies .

Really looking forward to it, and im glad others have taken kids when they were young, im sure they will enjoy it! Just to see the sights and witness the sounds and the smells... will be amazing. I keep watching youtube vids from ithemepark but to experience it first hand will be awesome! x

We started taking our kids when they were 1&2 years old(they are 13 months apart). They did great. We just took our time and had plenty of breaks and made sure they had decent food in them and kept a sleeping schedule.

 

[Disneykings]

So good to see another Brit on here. We did our first America trip to WDW last October and have already done loads of planning for this Octobers visit. I highly recommend putting in the planning hours before you go, it saved us loads of time while away. You can easily change reservations if you book any table service or change Fast passes on the go. Sounds crazy but its well worth getting up for the 5am opening on fast passes at 60 days out. We got everything we wanted including the much wanted meet Anna & Elsa. I know your on QS but the table service meals are amazing and the themed restaurants are like attraction in them self. But you can book BOG for breakfast or lunch on QS.

We used Garden Grocer to stock up on snacks and drinks. There really professional and great if you want nappies etc. Saved us a fortune on snacks and days we spent outside the park.

We started taking our daughter to DLP when she was 3yrs old. She loved its a small world, Dumbo etc but really struggled with the characters. The Mad Hatter tried to kiss her during the parade and she screamed for ages. I hate to admit this on here... Sorry everyone.. But I told her the truth about the characters and from that moment on, she has loved Disney and meet almost every characters possible. We have done every single season in Paris and now doing to same in Florida. Its such a great family shared experience that we all love, the only change is the rides are getting a whole lot faster Expedition Everest is her number 1 choice!!

 

[katie123]

Hi there
We are also from the UK and did our first visit when our sons were 5 and 13- now 12 and 20!
My advice would be plan, plan, plan!
Many web sites to get helpful info- others include all ears-gives you all the restaurants and menus so you can see what is suitable for your needs. Moms panel on disneyworld web site also great for info.
Agree with previous poster- I would plan on spending more time at MK, particularly in Fantasyland.
With regards to rides-only you can assess what your children will be comfortable doing. I only know this too well as DS will now do all the major rides (Expedition Everest, Rock and roller, thunder and space mountain-even got him on tower of terror last year-but splash mountain still completely freaks him out lol!!!)
Lots of help on these forums if you want any help with things- happy planning!

 

[md0u80a2]

I would not understimate the convenience of the boat to disney springs from POR - there is so much going on there now and it is nice to get away from theme parks in the evening.

In terms of rides, 4.5 is a tricky age - 40 and 42 inches are key heights that allow a lot - as I just posted in another thread, use the child swap everywhere - even if you arent going to use immediately, it is a free fastpass. Remember, this is disney compensating you for waiting around with a 2 year old whilst you dont ride

May can be hot so plan lots of rests - we always pack bags night before, out early before crowds and heat, QS lunch and back to resot for pm swim and rest and then one of each parks in nights for late entertainment - on these days avoid parks in morning. We brought a little air conditioner that was hand held and used a wet sponge to cool air - works well in humidity and great in pram. You must bring a double or two singles - for british kids in that heat at that age, they just cant do it! We brought a drinks holder which fit, mummy clips for bags, etc - so helpful

Also, we raided pound shops and internet before coming - picked up disney pins cheaply on ebay and the kids loved trading whilst in line. We picked up glow sticks etc for waiting for night shows (kids can be sitting for ages). We brought a white thick almost pvc cloth - worked as picnic blanket for sitting for parades, cover for pram to keep sun out, etc.

Plan the QS meals - they are a mixed bag and so check out menus. If I were you, I would price up upgrade to next plan that gives table service. honestly, at that age, the most entertainment the kids got was meals - between chef mickey, crystal palace, GF lunch, AK character dinner, hollywood and vine breakfast with disney junior and evening with mickey and co, etc they just loved them - the food is great and essentially it goes from food becoming a bit bland and cheap to feeling high quality - doesnt hurt when you get a receipt for $160 for dinner and then it comes back $0 - thay may be controversial because of course you may say upgrade to deluxe and get for free - obviously not free, but prepaid and when we have done that, between the $200 and meals, we have spent nothing except tips the whole holiday!

By the way, the $200 is a little more complicated then it seems - you usually have to pick up from world of disney in disney springs and they play a bit dim sometimes.

Finally, I would consider booking pirates league for older one and remember the jedi academy should be first job at rope drop at Hollywood studios - the little ones are so cute with these two - My 5 year old was pulled up on stage with captain jack after pirates leage and he had such fun!!!

 

[buseegal]

Hello. New to posting in this forum but been lurking for a year or so .

We are planning a trip to WDW May '17 (at the beginning as crowd levels seem lower than late May) - we haven't ever been to America before, let alone WDW which is a must do on our lists. Me and husband love theme parks so want to try out all the rides. I understand we can use 'rider swap' which seems suitable for us as we will be going with our DD 4.5yo & DS 2yo. Our DD is tall for her age so will be able to do many rides by height requirement, but possibly not by fear factor, guess we can gage that when we get there.

Thanks to the disney offer, we can stay at a moderate hotel for 10 nights and get free quick service dining & $200 disney dollars for a v good price - we were thinking of staying at Port Orleans - Riverside. Has anyone with little ones stayed here? Looks nice for pleasant walks on an evening etc.

Im planning this mainly on my own as husband doesnt really get involved with the planning stages, i just cant believe just HOW much there is to plan!

We will get free transportation to the hotel by wdw bus, then i guess its all learning and negotiating from then on. We plan to take a single stroller (for DS) and a boogie board attachment for daughter if she gets tired of walking. I hear taking your own double pushchair can be v cumbersome on the buses on route to the parks.

Just incase anyone wondering, this isnt the one and only trip we will make to wdw, if we enjoy it when im sure we will be back when kids 6yo+.

Has anyone got any insider tips or tricks they can share? Any first hand experience? Love to hear other who have been there and done it

Many thanks xxx

forgot with earlier reply but pack in carryons a change of clothes for everyone even if you plan to pick up your checked bags. nothing is worse than having to wait for bags when you need to change clothes. and it is usually not just the child that needs changed. one thing to consider can you fold your stroller with the boogie board attached? I have never used but remember that stroller must be folded on every bus trip. if board must be removed to fold that would be a pain

 

[Clawhit]

We picked up glow sticks etc for waiting for night shows

Fantastic idea just purchasing some now the children will love them during MNSSHP.

 

[bunnyman]

We had some of our best trips when our kids were little; we took them each when they were first at about 20 months. At that age and up until about the 5 or 6 year range it was a blast watching them take it all in. Having visited numerous theme parks ourselves, I think you'll find that WDW is a great place for families in general...they have a lot of family type rides that everyone can enjoy, and not just a bunch of kiddie rides that you sit and watch them go round and round. For the larger rides, yes you can do rider swap, it works our easy enough and the staff is well trained (usually) on what to do.