Our First Trip!

[disneyjes]

Hello! My husband, son (5) and I are planning our very first WDW vacation! It has been my dream for as long as I can remember and now it is my sons dream as well. I am BEYOND excited but I am feeling very overwhelmed. I have a few questions if you guys don't mind! (I hope this is the correct forum as well.)

- What tips do you have for first time visitors?
- Is there any news about the free dining for autumn 2012? This would help us out financially so much!
- Which character dining is best but doesn't cost an arm and a leg? Mickey and Princesses are the ones we'd love to dine with most!
- How do you guys plan leaving when you are driving? We have around a 20 hour trip. Should we leave at night? Day? When your vacation is done do you drive back at night?
- Are fannypacks/backpacks allowed on the rides?
- Is bringing a big DSLR camera too heavy to lug around or should I bring a point and shoot?
- What do you do to get the family excited for months before you leave?


Whew that is a lot! Thank you all so much! I appreciate your time!! <3

 

[minnielaw]

I have two boys (currently 11 and 12) and have been to WDW 3 times with them and these are my suggestions:

1. STROLLER; Bring or rent a stroller for your son! On our first trip my sons were 6 and 8 and after the first day at the parks we rented a double stroller every day. Best money we ever spent!!

The parks are big and require a LOT of walking often with crowded walkways. Children got jostled and bumped into. Putting your son in the stroller allows him to take in the sights, get a little rest and most importantly...you won't have to carry him when he gets tired! We travel the first week of October and on our first trip it was in the 90's. The boys were hot and tired from walking and we'd just put them in the stroller and go. They enjoyed the "sightseeing" and we enjoyed the peace and quiet!

2. RESEARCH, PLAN AND RESEARCH MORE: As others have already said, research, read and plan. While others may prefer to go with a more "loosey goosey" approach, I prefer to plan EVERYTHING. Once I am there, I can always alter the schedule, go with flow or choose to skip an ADR. I do NOT advocate a strict timetable and force marching your child through WDW. However, failure to have a plan will result in frustration and long waits. I feel so sorry for the people I see at WDW looking forlornly at a map or trying to secure a table at a restaurant without ADR's while a screaming, hungry child hangs off their arm.

Planning insures that you have options. You can stick with the plan and know that you have a seat for lunch at Via Napoli at 12:00 for lunch OR if you see a tasty item at a counter service with a short line, you can ditch the ADR and eat at the counter service.

Plan everything, but be willing to ditch the plan when something else great comes along!

I think it's important to have a plan for which park you want to visit each day, where you want to eat and what rides/attractions you want to make sure to do. I even read the menus for each restaurant we plan to visit just to make sure there is something that my children will like to eat. Nothing worse then waiting an hour and a half for a table just to get the menu and find that they have no chicken nuggets and little Johnny eats nothing but chicken nuggets.

I recommend scouring this website as well as www.allears.net Become familiar with the park layouts to avoid wandering aimlessly looking for rides, bathrooms, etc. Describe the attractions/rides to your son so he can be involved in choosing what to do.

Check www.allears.net and WDW official websites for closings and rehabs. Nothing worse than telling your son all about Splash Mountain only to arrive at the Magic Kingdom and finding out that it is closed for three months.

3. ARRIVE EARLY, TAKE AN AFTERNOON BREAK AND GO BACK IN THE EVENING. Although I seem to never follow this advice, if you have younger children it is a must. The parks are much less crowded when they first open and swell about lunchtime. Leave at lunch, return to your resort for a nap or swim and then return to the park at dinner. This will increase the odds that your son will make it until the fireworks and most of the parks look beautiful at night.

4. STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES! Honestly, my husband scratched his head in bewilderment at the amount of planning and research I did for our first trip. He thought I had lost my mind. However, once we arrived at WDW he appreciated the depth of my planning. WDW can be very overwhelming...the sheer size of the resort, the number of parks, number of restaurants, etc. Planning helped us avoid arguments born out of frustration.

BUT, despite all my planning I was always willing to alter the plan. If the kids were content watching fish in a pond...I was content to sit with them. We skipped several ADR's and headed back to the resort to swim and play in the arcade. Some of my boys favorite memories are going to the arcade in the evenings with their dad and then heading to the food court right before it closed for milkshakes.

So, relax, stop and watch the fish in the ponds and skip the fireworks to play in the arcade!! Have fun!

 

[pcarathers]

Hello! My husband, son (5) and I are planning our very first WDW vacation! It has been my dream for as long as I can remember and now it is my sons dream as well. I am BEYOND excited but I am feeling very overwhelmed. I have a few questions if you guys don't mind! (I hope this is the correct forum as well.)

- What tips do you have for first time visitors? Be sure to stop by Guest relations at the park and pick up 1st time visitor buttons!

- Is there any news about the free dining for autumn 2012? This would help us out financially so much! I'm not sure. Haven't heard anything.

- Which character dining is best but doesn't cost an arm and a leg? Mickey and Princesses are the ones we'd love to dine with most! Chef Mickey's is good. It is a must for our first night there. Akershus for breakfast to see all the Princesses.-

How do you guys plan leaving when you are driving? We have around a 20 hour trip. Should we leave at night? Day? When your vacation is done do you drive back at night? we have a 19 hour drive from North Louisiana, and we leave our house around midnight. We miss most, if not all major city traffic and then we stop in Panama City or Pensacola for the night. Leave at midnight that next day and arrive in Orlando usually around 10:00am. Have never really had a bad experience driving, and this will be our 6th trip, 4th driving.-

Are fannypacks/backpacks allowed on the rides? Most of the rides do have baskets or you can wear them. Never had a major issue with this. -

Is bringing a big DSLR camera too heavy to lug around or should I bring a point and shoot? Just whatever you prefer to carry.-

What do you do to get the family excited for months before you leave? We do a countdown calendar and then watch different Disney movies to get amped. Sometimes, play Disney games to win "prizes" as well.Whew that is a lot! Thank you all so much! I appreciate your time!! <3

We leave tomorrow night at midnight for our trip and can't wait! So excited! It never gets old! Hope this helps!

 

[Flip83]

Congratulations, We hope you enjoy your trip. Chef Mickey is a good place and kids will love it. It can be a bit much sometimes. Cape May Cafe is a little quieter, good food and kids will love it.

I would highly suggest plan things you definitely want to do, but don't make a hard schedule for every day. Plan your meals and you can pretty much go with that. If you are eating a breakfast at Cape May Cafe, then you could do Hollywood Studios or Epcot that day. Making a schedule of every move you will make everyday will make it less enjoyable. It's still a vacation. Who wants a schedule on their vacation? haha. But yes, like others have said, don't run around and try and do everything. Peter Pan is a VERY popular ride, I would suggest doing a FastPass in the morning or just going right to the ride and going on early as you can. There is always a wait, but its a great little ride that kids LOVE. We always like to get a very early start in the morning, come back to the hotel in the afternoon, swim/nap, then get ourselves ready for dinner and whatever park we want to do that evening. Definitely a good idea when kids are involved. I've seen many parents drag the kids around all day, and by early evening, it's MELTDOWN city. Some kids can hang all day, and some can nap right in their stroller. ( I was one of them as a kid) but it's usually good to come back and take a load off for a little anyway. (Your feet will thank you)

Enjoy yourselves. It's the greatest place in the world. We go every year. You can always private message me on here for any other questions

 

[JillC LI]

Another fellow NYer here. We took our first family Disney trip when our kids were 5 and 7, and the timing was perfect because they both believed all the magic.

Although others in this thread have recommended renting a stroller, we waited until our kids were those ages precisely so we could avoid having to deal with a stroller. Our kids are great walkers though, so only you know your child's needs.

I will second, third and fourth doing your research in advance so you know what each park has to offer and what attractions interest you. That way you can create at least the general outline of a touring plan which is flexible enough to accommodate unexpected needs. Having a plan enables you to maximize what you do at the park. Make good use of Fastpasses as others have said.

If you are going to do several character meals - and they ARE fun - then I do recommend the Dining Plan whether it is free or not. Just keep watching for possible free dining promotions next August.

Two more tips: you can go into any counter service restaurant in the parks and ask for a free cup of ice water rather than buying bottled water. Also, don't miss Aloha Isle in Adventureland int he Magic Kingdom for a Dole Whip Float. I'm sure you'll hear alot about those on this forum. Yum!!!

Enjoy but beware. Our family became Disney addicts after our first trip! :wave:

 

[TallGuy1970]

Thanks for all the info. I too will be taking my first trip with my family to WDW this June (not an ideal time, but I will be in Orlando already for a conference and it seemed like a good excuse)! I especially appreciate all the dining information.

I am true blue Disney fan, and living in Utah, I have been to Disneyland over 20 times. However, this will be my first trip to WDW. Wish me luck!

 

[dreamscometrue]

We can't figure out if we want to do 4d3n, 5d4n or 6d5n. Cost is an issue, but, I don't know when we will be able to go again so I really want to enjoy it!

If there's any way at all you can manage it, go for 6 days, 5 nights. I know that it's a few more nights hotel and food, but adding the extra park days (beyond 3 days) is about $8 perday, per person. For the overall enjoyment of the trip, and to be able to relax a bit between long drives, the 5 nights will help.

Also, you'll see much more, but still nowhere near all, with a 6d/5n plan. During our first trip, we did 7 nights, and saw less than half. I have the word 'saw' in italics , because technically we saw practically everything, but much was walking past. ie: Did we see World Showcase? Yes. Did we check out all the attractions, entertainment, food, etc. in all 11 pavillions. Nope, not even close. To see and do it 'all', takes weeks. Yeah, you'll want at least 6d/5n.

So happy for you. Enjoy! :wave:

 

[Juliaz3]

My #1 tip is to ride the TTA PeopleMover in Tomorrowland just at twilight. Watching the lights of Tomorrowland and the Magic Kingdom come on as you ride around is simply magical!

Also, as many recommend, plan plan plan but be flexible and spontaneous. Alternate sitting and walking/standing as much as possible. For example, take in the Country Bear Jamboree after standing in a long line, for example, Peter Pan. Everything will take longer than you imagine! Especially transportation. So when your kids are beginning to get tired, that's the time to head back to the hotel, not when they are clearly exhausted.

Use the Disney website and info boards in the parks to find parade times and character meet-and-greets.

If you can eat meals earlier or later than the "usual" hours, you'll find the lines much shorter. My husband and I never get ADRs and never have any trouble getting tables because we eat at off times and snack as needed. That said, for a family of 4, you should get a few ADRs so not to miss a place you really want to try.

 

[tarin24u]

Congrats!!! You will have so much fun just walking onto Main St - I cry every time Read this boards at least once a week. The info on these sights is great and the tips are so helpful. I have a few....

-Since your son is 5 you may not have a stroller. You are driving so try to borrow a comfy one from someone if possible. The ones you rent are great but you can save money if you bring one (just don't bring a cheap umbrella stroller - your little man will be so uncomfortable).

-We have done several character meals. Crystal Plaza (Pooh), the princess breakfast in Epcot (Akershaus I think), Cape May (Mickey), 1900 Park Fare (Mary Poppins), Restaurant-asaurus breakfast an AK (Mickey and Donald).... all are really fun. I love the breakfast buffets and they are great for little kids because they aren't tired and the food is good.

-Go to Barnes and Noble (if possible), get a cup of tea and look through some of the guidebooks. Decide which one you like best and buy that one. You only need one because the boards will keep you up-to-date. I love the Passporter. The Unofficial Guides are great. Your son may like the Birnbaum Guide for Kids because of the pictures. That is also a nice keepsake and has room for autographs.

Have a wonderful time and take lots of pictures! There's nothing like the first time you take your child to Disney!!

 

[tarin24u]

Hello! My husband, son (5) and I are planning our very first WDW vacation! It has been my dream for as long as I can remember and now it is my sons dream as well. I am BEYOND excited but I am feeling very overwhelmed. I have a few questions if you guys don't mind! (I hope this is the correct forum as well.)

- What tips do you have for first time visitors?

Read these message boards!! Everyone has the best tips. I would suggest that you bring a really comfy stroller for your little man. Since you are driving you could save the stroller fee. Just don't bring a little umbrella stroller - not comfortable at all. We have done lots of character meals and they are all really fun. For a 5 year old do a breakfast. The food is always good and the kids aren't tired. Everyone is always so excited.

- What do you do to get the family excited for months before you leave?

Go to Barnes and Nobles, get a cup of tea and look through the guidebooks. Pick out your favorite and buy it (you only need one, these boards will tell you what you want to know). You can highlight things to remember and bring it with you. I love The Passporter and The Unofficial Guides. Your son would like the Birnbaum's Guide for Kids. It's a nice keepsake with great pictures and room for autographs. Have a great time!!

 

[sam_disney]

- What tips do you have for first time visitors?

Use fastpass as much as possible if the lines are long.

If you're staying on property, take time to enjoy the resort you're staying at and stop and smell the roses. What makes WDW special is the atmosphere - if you just run from ride to ride with your schedule in hand, you'll miss it!

Definitely get yourself a WDW tour book like Birnbaum's or Frommers.

- Is there any news about the free dining for autumn 2012? This would help us out financially so much!

stay tuned!

- Are fannypacks/backpacks allowed on the rides?

There is a safe spot on each ride for a small pack or backpack to be held. You'll have no problem with it as long as you're not carrying a ton of things.

- Is bringing a big DSLR camera too heavy to lug around or should I bring a point and shoot?

On days when we know we'll be riding lots of rides that jostle around a bit (space mountain, tower of terror, rock and roller coaster) or any rides with water (splash mountain, kali river rapids), we leave the DSLR at the resort. We usually take two or three trips to each park during a trip with park hoppers, so we designate days with and without the DSLR. My husband enjoys photography at the parks just as much as the rides - on days with the nice camera we tend to hit the slower rides and all the shows. I've seen people with pretty expensive cameras and lenses just tuck them under a poncho on splash mountain or throw them between their legs on space mountain but this makes me pretty scared.

All of this advice above is perfect!

The fastpasses are the most important thing! We went to get fastpasses for soarin when we were there 2 weeks ago. We were on the ride in5 minutes. An older guy infront of us said to us... ' did you use one of them fastpass things?' and i said 'yes' and he said.. how long did it take you? I replied about 5 minutes. He looked shocked and said, weve been waiting for this for nearly 2 hours!! So i said is this your first trip? and he laughed and said yes we didn't understand how to use them. so we explained what to do and we bumped into them later on int he trip and they kept saying thank you so much lol

Fastpasses are located by more of your major attraction- you stick your park ticket in and you get a fastpass.. this is what they look like...

It means you can spend time going on other things, until your fastpass time is ready! I think you can get another fastpass after 2 hours? Is this right?
Anyway.. best tip there is!

The other tip mentioned here is make sure you don't rush to each attraction! Take it all in! Me and my other half, love just sitting on a bench, people watching and enjoying our time in the park. The atmosphere in each park is soo different and brilliant!

Other than that.... just enjoy it! The first trip is so magical and you will NEVER forget it!
Eeeek I'm excited for you!!!