Tips for booking for the first time with young children?

MamaHook

New Member
I have been before but not for many years & this is the first time with little ones in tow - any top tips before we book?!

Am really getting into this Disney research thing:)
 

Tinkerbell397

Well-Known Member
The first time we went with our kids they were 3 and 5. We decided to stay on the monorail for the convenience to the MK. We stayed at the CR and the kids loved it. They loved having the monorail run right though their hotel. A monorail hotel is also convenient for those mid afternoon trips back to the hotel for a nap or swim. Don't know how old your kids are, but I was able to take my son back for a quick nap and my daughter who was older, stayed in the park with her dad. We were never more than a monorail ride away from each other.
Another big tip.....don't push your kids. I have seen so many kids have a breakdown because they were exhausted but leaving the park was too much of a hassle due to transportation. If you are at the MK or Epcot, you can monorail back home. Try to be proactive rather than reactive....you know your kids better than anyone else....when it's time to leave the park, they will let you know. I am sure more people will give you more tips but maybe you can tell us where you plan to stay and how old your kids are. Enjoy the planning....so much fun!
 
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Disvillain63

Well-Known Member
We just took our 16 mos. old GS. We stayed at AKL and he loved being able to see the animals from our balcony; he also loved their playground. An afternoon break is a must; especially if you want to do something in the evening. Go at the children's pace. Since you've been before, let this be about the kids.
 
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PHS79

Active Member
A year ago we took our then 3.5 y/o DD. We are early risers so we were at the parks at rope drop, we would stick around the parks until 11-1 (whenever our DD wanted to leave) then go back to the resort and nap/swim/eat/relax. Then usually around 4-5 we would head back to one of the parks and usually stay out til close, but there were a couple of days that we could tell she was getting tired so we just headed back to the resort and put her to bed. Like the others said, its about the kids do not push them, but most importantly have fun!
 
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gooftroop5

Well-Known Member
Not sure how old your kids are, but we've taken our from 4 months old on up. Our oldest is 10. When we go to Disney I make a plan and decide which park we go to each day, but everything else we leave up to the kids. We let them lead the way. If they are hungry, we eat. If they are tired, we go back to the resort and relax. If it's midnight and they are still having fun we stay and have fun.

Don't forget that you can take food and drinks into the park. We always take a backpack with essentials and snacks. Don't forget that sunscreen! When our kids were little we got a clip on fan for the stroller. If your kids are young enough for a stroller take a poncho to put over your stroller when you stroller park. You never know when it will rain at Disney. It also works well to keep the kiddo in the stroller dry when it rains.

We also give our kids a gift card that they are allowed to use for whatever they want. This includes snacks and souvenirs. They each have their own and learn to budget their money. It helps us as parents teach them about making choices and spending money. The money for the gift cards comes from a change bucket they keep throughout the year. They know the more money they collect in the bucket, the more they get to spend at Disney.

Good luck and have fun!
 
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kamr211

Active Member
It is really dependent on your budget, the age of your children, and the time of year you are going.
If you are going in the summer months, the heat is a big factor. It affects each person differently in terms of endurance in the parks.
I have travelled with children ranging from 4 months - 12 years old. We have always stayed at value resorts (due to our budget) and every time the children say the hotel was the best part of the trip, namely the pools! Maybe we don't know what we are missing, but we never felt like we were taking the cheap route. The theming at the value resorts especially Art of Animation and Pop Century are geared to little ones.
On every trip our plan was always the same.... be there before rope drop, do as much as we can, take a break midday either before or after lunch, head back to the parks at dinner (sometimes eating at the hotel and sometimes in the parks.
Depending on where you stay, transportation can be an issue especially during crowded times of the year. Waiting for a resort bus at the end of the night with little ones is not fun! The buses can get crowded. Putting strollers on the buses is a whole other issue on a crowded bus. We have rented a car a few times and find that it is easier for some parks, and a hassle at others.
 
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mammaminnie

Well-Known Member
The first time that we went, I purposely chose an off-season time to visit. That meant lower crowds so that we could have lots of time to explore and enjoy without waiting in line for rides or dealing with large crowds everywhere. Plus, my kids didn't feel nearly as overwhelmed this way.
 
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Weather_Lady

Well-Known Member
I just wanted to repeat what other posters have already said, for emphasis:
1 - An afternoon nap (for the whole family) AND trying to preserve the kids' regular bedtime as much as possible (until your last night in the parks, when all bets are off!) are the keys to ensuring there will be no meltdowns.
2 - If you visit during an "off," non-holiday time of year with lower crowds, like early October, November, January, early February, March, early May (even if you have to take the kids out of school), your wallet and your stress level will thank you for it. :)
 
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mishel635

Well-Known Member
We just got back last month from our first trip with our kids who are three and five.
I agree with everyone especially about the afternoon break. If you can swing it budget wise, I would also recommend park hoppers. We found that with the midday break at the resort, it was nice to keep your options open for what you do in the evening.
We also gave the kids their own gift cards as well for their souvenirs. They loved this!
Also, if meeting the characters is a priority for your kids like it was for ours, definitely a character meal or two. We loved seeing the people waiting in line for the characters, and being able to tell our kids, "oh we don't have to wait in line, we are having breakfast with Mickey (or whoever) tomorrow!" We did wait for a few (the Toy Story characters for one) but it was nice to know we would definitely be meeting the characters at a meal and didn't need to worry.
I hope you have a wonderful trip! Planning it is a huge part of the fun! :)
 
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gooftroop5

Well-Known Member
I thought of a few more things. :p I love WDW planning.

I put together a "surprise" package for my kids before we leave. Sometimes it shows up at our front door before we leave and sometimes it shows up in our room when we get there. It all depends on what I put in it. (We never ship or mail anything. We are just super sneaky about how the package shows up). The package contains fun things for the kids for our trip. Sometimes a new Disney movie to watch on the way, snacks, new autograph books/pens (http://www.disneystore.com/official-walt-disney-world-resort-autograph-book/mp/1254585/1000357/) and other fun stuff. We make it seem like Mickey left it for them and it would be things I would normally get anyway.

Ziploc Bags. Baby wipes. Antibacterial hand gel. Never leave home without them. We put everything in ziplocs in our backpack. That includes the autograph books, diapers/change of clothes (if needed), snacks, and anything else. We still carry baby wipes and our youngest is 4. They come in handy for everything from a messy mickey bar to pizza.

Plan on packing 2 outfits per day per child. I cannot tell you how many times I've had to do laundry because we ran out of clothes.
 
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Tom 55

Well-Known Member
We took grand son to Disney World in 2009 when he was not yet 4. My advise rent stroller and push kids around. Stroller gives you a place to store all the stuff you need to carry around. Every day we split our days. Go to park and come back to hotel for swim and nap and then go back for supper and night time activity. The stroller rental allows you to leave and come back with out having to rent again. You are renting for the day even if it is at different parks. At MK you leave your stroller at train stop and pick up another at other station. Just take your tag. I also ended up carrying him on my shoulders out to the bus stop at end of day because he legs were tired.
 
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tlev

Well-Known Member
We took my daughter for the first time when she was 2. She's been once a year ever since and loves Disney. My daughter has always loved her naps, but instead of having to go all the way back to the room we just take a comfortable stroller that reclines so that she can sleep. We just find a quiet spot somewhere and let her nap without wasting the time it takes to travel with a cranky kid back to the room. The stroller we take will also accomodate a small soft side cooler which Disney will allow inside of the park. It has saved us tons of money over the years since we can pack drinks and snacks. And try to plan at least one character meal if you can afford it. We love Akershus for breakfast, Tusker House for breakfast and Cinderella's Royal Table. When my daughter was very young she enjoyed the character meal at Hollywood and Vine.
 
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PARichards

Active Member
We took my daughter for the first time when she was 2. She's been once a year ever since and loves Disney. My daughter has always loved her naps, but instead of having to go all the way back to the room we just take a comfortable stroller that reclines so that she can sleep. We just find a quiet spot somewhere and let her nap without wasting the time it takes to travel with a cranky kid back to the room. The stroller we take will also accomodate a small soft side cooler which Disney will allow inside of the park. It has saved us tons of money over the years since we can pack drinks and snacks.

This just sold DH on bringing our stroller! Thanks :happy:
 
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HRHPrincessAriel

Well-Known Member
We took my daughter for the first time when she was 2. She's been once a year ever since and loves Disney. My daughter has always loved her naps, but instead of having to go all the way back to the room we just take a comfortable stroller that reclines so that she can sleep. We just find a quiet spot somewhere and let her nap without wasting the time it takes to travel with a cranky kid back to the room. The stroller we take will also accomodate a small soft side cooler which Disney will allow inside of the park. It has saved us tons of money over the years since we can pack drinks and snacks. And try to plan at least one character meal if you can afford it. We love Akershus for breakfast, Tusker House for breakfast and Cinderella's Royal Table. When my daughter was very young she enjoyed the character meal at Hollywood and Vine.
I'm jealous of this. If there is action my kid.will.not.sleep. I wistfully stare at the parents with a kiddo that can fall asleep in the stroller or head on their shoulder. Even as a baby. It was in her crib and *maybe* the car.
 
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PARichards

Active Member
I'm jealous of this. If there is action my kid.will.not.sleep. I wistfully stare at the parents with a kiddo that can fall asleep in the stroller or head on their shoulder. Even as a baby. It was in her crib and *maybe* the car.

Ouch! Our youngest will be 4 for our trip in September, and while they don't nap per se, they WILL sleep in the car after a busy morning. I'm counting on them taking a stroller nap to allow the older 2 girls to ride some things the little ones can't or won't ride, before heading back to the resort for swimming and more (read: adult) napping. Good luck
 
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tlev

Well-Known Member
fan.jpg
I'm jealous of this. If there is action my kid.will.not.sleep. I wistfully stare at the parents with a kiddo that can fall asleep in the stroller or head on their shoulder. Even as a baby. It was in her crib and *maybe* the car.
I know we have always been very lucky. The kid would sleep almost anywhere! We just made sure she had a comfortable stroller and it was never a problem!

This is when she was 5 and we went in June. Buying that fan was the best $20 I ever spent!
 
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HRHPrincessAriel

Well-Known Member
Ouch! Our youngest will be 4 for our trip in September, and while they don't nap per se, they WILL sleep in the car after a busy morning. I'm counting on them taking a stroller nap to allow the older 2 girls to ride some things the little ones can't or won't ride, before heading back to the resort for swimming and more (read: adult) napping. Good luck
The positive side is when we are out and about she's usually in a good mood. She saves "crazy" for when we get behind closed doors. lol
 
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kamr211

Active Member
Bringing your own stroller vs. renting one at Disney has its pros and cons. It depends on if you are going to rely on Disney transportation vs. your own car. If you rent one in the parks, that means the children have to walk or be carried to/from the buses as well as navigating through the entrance/exits. Mot an easy feat especially during morning rope drops and after fireworks late night when its elbow to elbow crowded.
Even if you bring your own, All strollers still have to be folded before riding the buses and trams. Again during peak crowded times when everyone is trying to board buses, folding strollers and gathering kids and belongings is tricky.
If it isn't crowded, the strollers don't necessarily have to folded on the monorails. Last trip, my 7 year old did not obviously use a stroller. That being said, she was so exhausted after the fireworks while waiting for the bus that I held her in the bus line back to AOA and the entire bus ride all while standing up!
 
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sabbyxxo

Member
Resorts: I suggest the Art of Animation, Pop Century, or any of the All Stars because 1, they're the cheapest (YAY), and two, it's all kids based. The entirety of the resorts strictly remain focused around the colorful, playful appeal for kids. Literally, if you want to have your kids in awe, go there. The pools have characters squirting water, there are themes from movies with big character sculptures all around, and the maid's/concierge are SOOOOO much friendlier. The maids are ALWAYS in a great mood, and at these resorts, they'll always leave character shaped towels for a special presentation for when you come home. I think it's the overall atmosphere because nothing is bland and we all feel like kids! The Beach Club is the other option for me. It's adorable, and bright, and a great location. There's also a beach, and the pool slide is a giant pirate ship. Cape May Buffet Character Dining is downstairs too. Hi! So convenient. My favorite restaurant, and it's ALWAYS clean. I've been going for 20 years, every year since I was 2, and these resorts have never disappointed. Of course, every Disney resort is wonderful, but I'm pointing out the ones I find best for the kids.

Dining: To keep the young ones happy and less tired, I suggest breakfast character dining either in the park where you'll be all day or close. Save the day of lugging around the strollers and having the kids cry 'where's mickey?!' on the busses. What I do is plan ahead and make breakfast reservations early enough to spend the days at the parks. To save money, I'd say keep it to a minimum because it gets pricey for character dining, like maybe 1 meal a day, and then head over to a less expensive quick pick-me-up place. Example, at Hollywood Studios, there is the sci-fi dine in which is still fun (you sit in old fashion cars and watch fun old movie clips that are WILDLY entertaining) and its cheap. Easy breezy.

For quick tips, try to stay at one park for the day, that way you can rest for night shows and not have to waste time for busses and miss out on the fun around you. Strollers? If you can go without them, DO SO. It's gonna get CRAZY busy, and the strollers area a pain. There are convenient spots wherever you go, and have the option of going back to get them if the kids get tired. They're in good hands!

Meeting princesses: I will make this super quick. There is buffet called Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in the Norway pavilion at EPCOT where you eat with the princesses. You have a choice to eat the Sausage, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, and Home Fries, all fresh, they serve to you, or go up and get some fresh salmon, grapes, etc at the buffet. All healthy, age appropriate, and filling! Not all of them, but you get Belle, Aurora, Cinderella, etc. (The main ones). To save a couple hours in a line, dine in with the characters, and meet them all within the half hour. BONUS! - There is the princess procession where the little kids hold hands with the princesses and walk around the restaurant like a princess. There's adorable music and they feel so happy. As for Elsa and Anna, it's up to you, since they're new princesses, you gotta choose whether the couple hours spent is worth the wait in line. I'd say get there early for that.

Parades/Bathroom breaks: Hold a spot for a good view at Magic Kingdom/Animal Kingdom. Those lines start hours before the parades, but I'd say get there early, and switch with the adult you're with for bathroom breaks. Gotta hold your spot!
 
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