Planning 1st Trip with Kids - going crazy!!!

[~DeltaDisneyMom~]

Hello!

I am working on planning our first trip to Disney in early March 2014. It will be myself, my husband, our kids who are DD age 5 and DS age 4 (will be their ages during the trip), and possibly my parents. We have decided to drive the 12 hours there and will be bringing a stroller. We have a great Bob jogging stroller that makes it feel like you are pushing nothing and turns on a dime, but it is big. This will probably be our only trip with them at this young age and foresee another trip when they are in upper elementary. So we want to really do this trip right - they still believe in all the characters and talk about them like they are their friends so I know they will just be amazed! I cannot WAIT!

However, I am really struggling with planning the trip. I just do not know what will be best for us in terms of where to stay, how many days to stay, whether to park hop, etc! At this point my kids do not do well after about 7pm without a nap. I would really love some advice, even if it is simply "Get a travel agent" - ha!

So here are my main concerns:
1. Where to stay - originally I thought we should go with a monorail resort since we will most likely need to take breaks in the afternoons for naps/rest in order to enjoy the night activities. But now with driving and bringing a stroller, maybe it doesn't matter if we are on the monorail and we should save money and go with a moderate or value resort in order to have more to spend on all of the extras like Bibbity Bobbity Boutique? Plus I had wanted to stay at Polynesian but now I hear there may be construction going on? http://www.tikimanpages.com/tiki/news/225-future-plans

2. If we don't go with a deluxe monorail resort, is it better to go with a moderate hotel if we foresee spending afternoons in the room resting? Or is there not much difference between them and value resorts?

3. Am I crazy thinking of bringing a big double jogging stroller? Will it be hard to get around the parks?

3. 5 or 6 park days? - We are driving but plan to break it up so we would get to Orlando in the morning on the day we check in. So technically we could do 6 days with a 5 night stay. Will we spend a full day at Animal Kingdom and Epcot to need 6 days?

4. Park hop or not? - With kids this age and with taking a break in the afternoon is it best to have the park hopper ticket? Several friends of mine who have recently gone did not do park hopper tickets with kids this young but I get nervous about not having flexibility. I would love some opinions.

HELP ME!

TIA!

 

[SMS55]

Well the popular theory around here is that if you don't plan to use the room or the hotel's amenities to go value and save the money. The value resort rooms tend to be a little small but its not like you have 4 adults. We always stay at a value and we are ok but all we do is shower and sleep in the room. the deluxe rooms are certainly nice but if you aren't using the hotel's amenities I wouldn't stay at one but only you can make that call.
As a first timer I wouldn't park hop. There is a lot to see at each park, and you will miss stuff if you park hop, plus with little kids you want to do meet and greets which take up time. If you want to save time consider character dinners. Chef Mickey's has Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald and Chip and Dale. That will save a lot of time in line.
I would use the first 4 days four one park each and then your last two days park hop to some favorites you want to redo or things you missed. You can always get up later too on your last two days to let the little ones make it through night events.
The stroller might be a pain during peak hours if the parks are packed. My kids at 4 and 5 were walking all day and they lasted all day, but all kids are different. If a stroller is a must something smaller might be better.

 

[dolce20]

Why not compromise--go with Wilderness Lodge and here's why: its deluxe but the lowest on the totem pole for deluxe so you're not paying Polynesian pricing. You're not getting monorail for kids sleeping in the stroller but what you ARE getting is a fast boat ride from the MK park to the hotel. The bigger boats you just wheel the kids right on, no hassle. They're too young for park hopping. That's ambitious with young ones and money better saved at this age.

 

[dolce20]

What I also wanted to mention: avoid value resorts right now. You have two little ones who nap and a big stroller so the last thing you need is a big crowded and long bus ride to every park.

 

[awoogala]

Hello!

However, I am really struggling with planning the trip. I just do not know what will be best for us in terms of where to stay, how many days to stay, whether to park hop, etc! At this point my kids do not do well after about 7pm without a nap. I would really love some advice, even if it is simply "Get a travel agent" - ha!

So here are my main concerns:
1. Where to stay - originally I thought we should go with a monorail resort since we will most likely need to take breaks in the afternoons for naps/rest in order to enjoy the night activities. But now with driving and bringing a stroller, maybe it doesn't matter if we are on the monorail and we should save money and go with a moderate or value resort in order to have more to spend on all of the extras like Bibbity Bobbity Boutique? Plus I had wanted to stay at Polynesian but now I hear there may be construction going on? http://www.tikimanpages.com/tiki/news/225-future-plans

poly is gorgeus, but I personally would not spend the $ these days, unless I was planning on spending most of my trip IN the hotel.
If your kid(s) will nap in the stroller, there is always that option- we never took a break, but ymmv. If you want to stay close to monrail, and maybe not spend quite so much, I would suggest looking at the contemporary garden wing- bigger rooms, btter prices than many of the deluxes.

2. If we don't go with a deluxe monorail resort, is it better to go with a moderate hotel if we foresee spending afternoons in the room resting? Or is there not much difference between them and value resorts?

moderates are excellent choices. They are a bit different- think "hotel" compared to "motel". BUT- and this is big.. your kids are the ages that may be excited by the giant characters..mine were. So values may appeal to them at this point. If you do go value- pay for the "preferred room" to save the walking at the hotel. Those few 100's of steps at the end of a long night with kids is worth every penny.

3. Am I crazy thinking of bringing a big double jogging stroller? Will it be hard to get around the parks?
it will. but.. as long as you use it for MOst of the day, it may be worth it. Only you know your kids and their stamina. We brought one big jogger at that age, and sometimes they squished to ride at the end of the night.. but it worked, since one was fine walking most of the time. If you are using the buses, it is a bit of a hassle to fold and hold on to them.

3. 5 or 6 park days? - We are driving but plan to break it up so we would get to Orlando in the morning on the day we check in. So technically we could do 6 days with a 5 night stay. Will we spend a full day at Animal Kingdom and Epcot to need 6 days?

again, depends on your kids- mine are animal crazy, so our first trip, we spent 1.5 days there.. Others say they can't find enough to do for a full day. We spent an hour!!!! just at the petting zoo area that day..go figure! I always err on the side of more rather than less time- but our first trip was 8 days- way too long for my kids. I think 5/6 would be perfect.

4. Park hop or not? - With kids this age and with taking a break in the afternoon is it best to have the park hopper ticket? Several friends of mine who have recently gone did not do park hopper tickets with kids this young but I get nervous about not having flexibility. I would love some opinions.

For us, hopping is VERY important..but we stay at an EPCOT area hotel, and end almost every night there. your kids are young, so you may not make it to more than one park in a day. Hard to say.. but.. if you think Hollywood is a half day (common with younger kids-no coasters), and ak is a half day, then hopping may save you the trouble of wasting half a day.

HELP ME!

TIA!

 

[LostPrincessKarleigh]

Skip the value resorts. They are best for families with older kids (8-12?) that are just using the rooms to sleep and shower. Also, they usually have more crowded buses and are further from the parks.
A park hopper could be helpful if, for instance, you plan a morning at AK, afternoon nap, and then catch the evening parade and Wishes at MK.
The stroller: the smaller the better IMHO. Or get the kiddos to walk a little.
Finally, character meals will be your best friend for meeting characters! The lines for some characters can get really long. That + the FL sun = cranky kiddos (and mom!) Just be sure to make your ADRs 180+ days out for the more sought after meals (Chef Mickeys, CRT, etc)
Be sure to check out Pinterest and spoonful.com for lots of fun disney DIY crafts in prep for the big day.
MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!!
Have fun! and take pictures!

 

[Tinkerbell397]

Question 1and 2: Where to stay. We went to Disney for the firs time with my kids were 5 and 3. We stayed at the CR for the convenience of the monorail. The monorail makes a loop of the CR, Poly, GF, MK and TTC. If you want to go to EPCOT, you need to get off at the TCC, walk down the ramp and up another ramp to get the monorail to EPCOT. That monorail makes a EPCOT-TCC loop. Same scenario for the POLY and GF. If you choose the WL, you can take a boat to the MK or the CR and take the monorail from there. All other parks you take the bus. And you take the bus to EPCOT, DS and AK from the other deluxe resorts. When your children are small, it is nice to have the convenience of the monorail from the MK for PM naps or pool breaks. The moderates are very nice....cannot speak to the values but I have heard that the rooms are small and they can be very noisy.

Question 3on't know anything about strollers except that you want your children to be comfortable and safe and chances are they will nap in them at some point so bring what you are comfortable with.

Question 4 and 5: I would get a park hopper. You might want to dine in Epcot after to have spent the morning in the MK. And having the flexibility with children is very important. Can you spend the entire day in the AK....Yes....It is the biggest park in DIsney and it closes early. Another reason to get a park hopper...spend the day at the AK and go to the MK or another park at night.

I hope this helps.....I am sure your trip will be magical for your children. Having the convenience of the monorail and a park hopper will make it easier for you as a parent and you should do everything to make your first trip with the kids as stress free as possible.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

My girls were 2 and 4 their first trip and we stayed at WL. We spent 3 days at MK that trip and I can tell you it just did not feel close enough for us. The girls were 2 and 5 their next trip- 8 mos later- stayed at the Contemporary and it made life SOOOOOOOOOOOO much easier. While we had a double stroller both trips, our girls were never big stroller nappers- so heading back to the room for a rest was key so we could head back out to the parks for evening activities. The larger room at Contemporary was also very nice for accommodating a double stroller. i.e. even if it's light- it still takes up space (even folded). I also think you spend less time dealing with transportation if you're at a deluxe convenient to the park where you'll be spending the most time. i.e. a quick boat ride to the Poly vs. waiting on a bus to a mod and the various stops.

As for strollers- the Bob is a great choice from what I've heard. We've used the City Mini Double and were fine.

I personally would not hop. It's a much slower pace with younger kids so I feel like the you get more sticking with one park each day. That's just us though- others may feel like they've gotten their $s worth in this scenario.

I also don't like to do a park on my departure day. It's just so much for us to get all of the kids' stuff in order and get prepared to leave that hitting a park on the way out has just never been practical for us. We have a 7pm departure flight this next trip and I'm still not doing it. Again- this is personal preference...so you may decide it works for you guys. We could easily spend 2 whole days in Epcot, but not so much in Animal Kingdom.

You might also do well with an agent. I used one before our kids' first trip even though I had double digit trips under my belt. We all have tons of opinions and advise on here, but an agent may be able to help you create the trip that's best for you. There are a number of great agents from Kingdom Konsultants that come on here.

 

[olinecoach61]

Speaking as someone who took a 3 year old last year, we had. Many of the same concerns.
Where to stay: you can't beat the monorail loop, if your going to nap, the monorail will get u back in the room quick. The poly is a great resort that kids really enjoy - volcano pool, beach, spray area, etc. s'mores on the beach with a Disney movie is a lot of fun.

The bob is an awesome choice, however getting on busses and trams is going to be a hassle. Stay on monorail loop and minimize busses. Can also get a room close to the TTC and walk over for the monorail to Epcot, easy peasy.

We always park hop, magic kingdom on early magic hours, break for a nap and head to another park in the evening for dinner.

One piece of unsolicited advice, chef mickeys was a great way to start the trip. We got to meet the big five right away without waiting in line. It will also let you know how comfortable the kids are with the characters.

 

[allgiggles]

1. & 2. Over the last 12 years, we've traveled to Disney 5 times and with 3, 4, or 5 kids (currently ages 8-26). For our family, the hotel room is a place we sleep and shower. The only amenities we use at the resort are the QS restaurant and the pool. We've stayed at ASMovies, Pop Century, and Art of Animation and we've been happy with all of them. We prefer not to spend money on deluxe resorts because we just don't spend enough time in the room and wouldn't use the amenities the resorts offer. And upgrading to a moderate really doesn't do much for us -- the difference in price is too much for what they offer over the Values (slightly larger rooms) -- at least for our family. Once our kids are grown and it's just DH & I traveling we'll try some of the Deluxe resorts, but for now when we need 2 rooms or a suite at AoA (and more importantly, 2 bathrooms!), the Values work for us. We've never had a noise problem at any of the Values but we've always been on the 4th floor and only one time did we have a pool view room (but it was quiet).

3a. I've been on 3 trips with kids who are 4 or 5 years old (and one trip was with a 4 *and* 5 year old) and I didn't use a stroller for any of them. By the time my kids were that age, they hadn't used a stroller in over 2 years so there was no need for one at Disney. They were used to walking everywhere at home. I did rent a stroller on one trip because our then 6 yo DD had been slightly under the weather and we knew the heat and walking would be too much for her in that condition. Personally, we found the stroller to be a big inconvenience (probably because we hadn't used one in over 4 years at that point). The constant getting in and out of the stroller and then trying to find our stroller in the sea of Disney strollers was a time suck at every attraction (your stroller will *never* be exactly where you left it when you come out of the attraction). Since we weren't planning on renting a stroller, I hadn't taken anything along to tie to the handle of the stroller to make ours stand out from the other Disney strollers so that made it even harder to find. All that being said, if you think your children will need a stroller, by all means take it and use it. My sister used a double jogging stroller when she took her then 2 & 4 yo DS's. While she was happy that she took it, she said it was too big to comfortably get around most restaurants and shops so she had to take the kids out of it when they went in those. She also found it really slowed them down (they also had 2 pre-teens) because she was being really careful about not running in to people with the stroller. And after a few days, the boys didn't really want to stay in it any more and she spent a lot of time pushing an empty stroller. She was wishing she had taken an umbrella stroller in addition to the double because she would have used that once she realized the boys weren't going to stay in the stroller (she knew the 2 year old would get tired and want to rest/take a nap at some point so she needed *something*). I did warn her to not just throw things in the basket of the stroller since she would have to fold it up to go on the bus. She was glad I told her that - she just kept everything in a backpack so it was easy to grab out of the basket when they folded up the stroller.

3b. We always go for 6 or 7 days. We like to have some "slow" days mixed in with the "full" days. We allocate a full day to each of the parks and then spend the other days going back to various parks to do what we missed on the first day; going back for fireworks/parades; and going to Downtown Disney. We also plan to sleep in a day or two during the week.

4. We always buy park hoppers. I know some people feel like park hopping means you *must* plan to go to two different parks every day (or most days) in order to get your money's worth. We're not like that. We never *plan* to park hop, we just like the flexibility that the park hoppers give us. On our trip in June, there were several days that we went to a park for rope drop, headed back to the hotel for a swim or rest late in the afternoon, and then went to a different park in the evening either because we were finished doing what we wanted to do at the park we had been at earlier or because we wanted to go to fireworks in a different park. On our trips in the last 12 years, we have never *not* park hopped at least once during the week (it's usually 2 or 3 times). We also make sure to buy tickets for every day we're going to be there (including arrival day -- we usually arrive around lunch time). We would never buy less than 5 days to begin with, so the cost to add 1 or 2 more days to that is minimal. We like to have the option to go to a park every day even if it's only for a few hours. There's usually at least one day that we spend a few hours at DTD and then spend some time swimming at the resort. It's nice to be able to go to a park for dinner and fireworks if that's what we feel like doing that night.

 

[luv]

1. If you can abide the idea of not staying in a Disney hotel, offsite is easier. The kids will have their own room where they can nap easily and you can stay awake. Plus, you'll all have more space, which really makes a vacation so much more relaxing.

If you cannot bring yourself to leave the bubble (which I'm starting to think of as "the dome" now that the dome show is on TV), bigger rooms are better than smaller ones and the monorail rooms are bigger than the moderate ones.

2. There isn't a ton of difference, but the mods are generally prettier than the rather garish Values...and the Mod rooms are a little bigger. When rooms get that small, every bit makes a difference.

3. It will make getting around a little more difficult and will be a nightmare in stores. Most kids that age - if they aren't pushed too hard - will be okay without a stroller. But you know your kids best and if you think you need the stroller, you should take it.

3. More days is always a good thing. There is certainly enough to see and do that six days wouldn't be overdoing it.

4. I like the hopping option a lot, especially for people who take a nap break! If you want to save that money for the college fund or something, a trip without hopping is entirely do-able. If you aren't sure, you can always add the hopping option while you're there.

 

[stevehousse]

Like most have said, stay where you would feel comfortable staying. If you have the money for a deluxe I'd say go for it!

You will be going in march which can me a crowded time to go. Also with th little ones and it being your First trip, I would not park hop!

With the kids it's much easier to plan a whole day at one park. Go early in the morning, leave in the afternoon to go back to the resort to swim or nap, and then go back in the evening!

I hope you have a fabulous trip! Planning a Disney vacation can be a little stressful for a first timer! I would highly suggest the website all ears! They have great articles and info on planning!

 

[Disvillain63]

1. If your budget can afford it, then a deluxe is nice. Looking at their ages and the fact that they're girls, you're probably going to spend extra time at MK. The WL is our favorite of these resorts. As for BBB, you might consider just going to Harmony Barber Shop. It's less expensive and the girls will get the 'magical' touch there. You could purchase princess dresses before you leave home.

2. At 4 and 5, my children didn't take naps, so I can't offer a suggestion/opinion here. I just know that we would start with rope drop and go to close...but that was the 90's and the parks didn't stay open until 11 pm or 1 am... WL is close enough to MK to go back for a nap. If you think you'll be at Epcot or DHS more, then you might want to consider Beach Club or Boardwalk.

3. We rented a stroller when we took our DS at 3; he used a good bit. We took an umbrella stroller when our DD was 3; she didn't use it, and we left it in the hotel room after the first day. By 4 and 5, they were too into the park, characters, and rides that they wouldn't have given the stroller a second thought. Instead of traveling with a big stroller, just see how it goes...rent if you must.

4-5. Tickets...6 day Park Hoppers...a full day in each of the 4 parks and then hop to your favorite attractions/characters, etc... Park Hoppers also come in handy for times like crowded parks...hop to a different park for a few hours...one park is closing early for a special event...hop to another park....go to EMH, morning at one park and then hop to a less crowded park around lunch...gives you options.

Since it's your girls' first trip, whatever you decide will be magical to them.

 

[~DeltaDisneyMom~]

Is there a place at the parks to rent strollers if you find you need one? I am not positive we will, I was just going based off of our recent trip to a large zoo and they both majorly complained about walking so much. But this trip is over 6 months away, plus it is at a much more entertaining place, so they may not stay in a stroller anyway. It would be a lot easier to just rent one if we find we need it and not take up the car space with a huge jogging stroller, but I didn't know if you have to go find a Babies R Us or something to rent strollers or if you rent right at each park?

Also, I am basing our need for naps off of our current situation and not what it may be in 6 months. My 3.5 year old son definitely still needs a nap and my 5 yr old daughter won't make it past 8pm without being super whiny if she doesn't at least get some rest time in the afternoon. Plus we may be traveling with my parents and I am not sure they can go all day, but they could always go back and take a rest if they needed to and meet up with us later.

Thank you for the responses so far! We will definitely be spending multiple days at MK. Is anyone concerned about construction at Poly? If they are renovating the Great Ceremonial House will it be a major pain or will we not spend much time there anyway? What are your thoughts on getting a Royal Guest Room at POR vs staying at a value? Worth the money?

 

[Mukta]

1. I stay at deluxe resorts because it saves me time. Walking to the contemporary or beach club from a theme park always saves time over waiting for Disney transportation.
2. I think if you are taking breaks, it is even more important to be somewhere close by.
3. the big double jogging stroller is quite large. Is there a way for you to being a double stroller that isn't quite as big or rent one?
4. You can spend a full day at AK and Epcot depending on your interests.
5. Don't park hop unless you are going to one park in the morning, taking a break at your hotel and going to another at night. Leaving in the middle of the day to hop takes up a lot of time.

 

[docdebbi]

here's a slightly different idea, coming from someone who goes often and last time took 3 kids all four and under......

we love to stay on monorail loop/boat ride loop for the convenience while we go to Magic Kingdom. walking over from Contemporary is the most convenient- no bus/boat/monorail, just WALK ! but it is not as themed as poly or wilderness lodge, your call which is more important to you.
then we move to the cabins at Fort Wilderness while we do the other parks. tho advantage is that we- like you- have a car so we drive directly from our front door to the parks. no lifting strollers in and out of buses, extra transfers with strollers, etc. and when we get back, if the kids are sleeping, we carry them about 10 feet to their beds instead of through a hotel lobby, up an elevator, down a hall, etc. less chance of waking them up, and much easier on our backs. and your stroller stays in the car, not taking up space in our room.
consider doing a switch part of the way through. downside is that you don't really want to unpack totally if you are changing rooms, but this can work to your advantage also. less clean up when packing to leave, you never really unpack

in our experience, a double stroller is a major hassle at the parks. with the money you save switching from a deluxe to a moderate for a few days, consider renting two jogging strollers. last time we used two city elites from "strollers and groceries", but there are lots of companies who rent. they drop it off at bell services, and you leave it there when leaving. they are not that expensive. as we split stays, we do pick up at one resort and leave it at a different one, no big deal to them.

and yes, disney does rent strollers in the parks if you get there without one and decide you need one. but they are not comfortable, they got hot in the sun, are expensive, and you have to stand in line each day to rent them. if i got there without and needed one, i would still call an outside company to deliver to my hotel.

as far as park hoppers, sit down with pencil and paper, and sketch out your plans for the trip and what to do each day. then decide. each park has a night time show which you will probably want to see. you could do that park during the day, go home for a rest (even if they aren't napping anymore, a rest is imperative) then go back to the same park for that park's nighttime show. don't need parkhoppers that way.

yes, we spend a full day at hollywood studios (with a trip home for a nap) and we stay at animal kingdom until it closes at five. there is plenty to do to justify a whole day. after animal kingdom that night is a good night to go to hoop de doo revue after a rest, or swim at the pool. we use it as a non park night.

 

[allgiggles]

and yes, disney does rent strollers in the parks if you get there without one and decide you need one. but they are not comfortable, they got hot in the sun, are expensive, and you have to stand in line each day to rent them. if i got there without and needed one, i would still call an outside company to deliver to my hotel.

Actually, if you do a multi-day rental you don't have to stand in line each day. You can just go straight to the pick-up area with your card and they'll mark it and you're on your way.

 

[docdebbi]

Actually, if you do a multi-day rental you don't have to stand in line each day. You can just go straight to the pick-up area with your card and they'll mark it and you're on your way.

at least in my experience, the few times we did it, we stil stood in a line of folks at opening, all doing the same thing. not a long line, but still waited instead of running to first ride.

 

[75disney]

I have taken my DDs since they were 2 and we have stayed at a variety of resorts.
1 and 2. Where to stay? The monorail resorts are only convenient if you are doing the MK. For Epcot, you would need to take two monorails. For the other parks and DTD, you need to take buses. You should pick your resort on which one appeals to you most. They each have their advantages and disadvantages. I personally recommend a Moderate or Deluxe resort though. The value resorts are too garish for my taste. If you are only doing this one trip and not returning for a while, a deluxe may be worth the splurge. Have you considered a DVC resort? You could all stay in one place with multiple bedrooms and there is plenty of space to spread out and put the kids down for naps.
3. Bring your own stroller. The kids will be more comfortable in their own and may even fall asleep in it. We always brought our own and we never had any problems with getting around with it.
4. I would do 6 days. The parks are huge and very stimulating. With 6 days, you can do them at a more relaxed pace. Plan on two days at MK given the age of your kids. You should do a full day at AK. Kids love animals and at least one full day at Epcot. There are a lot of characters to meet back in World Showcase, plus they have the Kidcot stations which help to entertain the kids.
5. We do not park hop. I find it is easier to do one park each day, especially with little ones and first timers.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to keep to your child's schedule. If you skip naps, push back bedtimes or mealtimes, your kids (and you) will melt at some point. We made this mistake with my oldest daughter on her first trip and we had a few miserable days because she was out of sorts. Sticking to the kids' schedule will probably mean that you can't do everything that you want , but you will enjoy what you do so much more.

If your kids are in to characters, be sure to book some character meals as well. They are a good way to break up a park day.

Good luck and keep posting your questions here. You will get some great advice.

 

[tare]

Park hopping is fine and easy with little ones. Just try and put a little nap in there in the afternoon back at the resort.