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Message
Give me your Disney Pro Tips
Posted on 1/12/18 at 1:57 pm
Posted on 1/12/18 at 1:57 pm
We book a trip for this fall the weekend prior to Thanksgiving. The wife has been doing some research, but just looking for one or two ideas that or can't miss, or things you should know for your first Disney trip. Will have 4 year old twins in tow. We will be there for 4 days of park visits. The early plan is to hit MK 2 times Epcot, and Hollywood Studios the other days.
This post was edited on 1/12/18 at 2:01 pm
17
Posted on 1/12/18 at 2:12 pm to Glock17
Drop Epcot and add AK. The 4 year olds will get bored at Epcot pretty quickly.
That's all I got.
That's all I got.
Posted on 1/12/18 at 2:24 pm to Glock17
Definitely hit up AK, as said I'd go to AK before Epcot unless your kids kills cats for fun or something. Its a great park, easily the most relaxing park to me.
The biggest tips are to go to MK on T-TH, the slowest park days. Most people that just go for the weekend, go to MK or Epcot so try those on M-TH.
All the parks now have gotten stuff for kids of all ages. I honestly think you should go to all 4 parks for 1 day. I wouldn't do park hoppers with 4 year olds, just take your time. If you get tired of a park one day, leave early, hit the pool, and go to bed early.
FWIW: 3-4 is one of the best ages IMO for kids there. Everything is legit magical and they don't doubt a damn thing. They are going to have an amazing time, boys or girls.
The biggest tips are to go to MK on T-TH, the slowest park days. Most people that just go for the weekend, go to MK or Epcot so try those on M-TH.
All the parks now have gotten stuff for kids of all ages. I honestly think you should go to all 4 parks for 1 day. I wouldn't do park hoppers with 4 year olds, just take your time. If you get tired of a park one day, leave early, hit the pool, and go to bed early.
FWIW: 3-4 is one of the best ages IMO for kids there. Everything is legit magical and they don't doubt a damn thing. They are going to have an amazing time, boys or girls.
This post was edited on 1/12/18 at 2:26 pm
Posted on 1/12/18 at 2:24 pm to Glock17
Book your fast passes ASAP. Get a stroller for the kids. It's a pain to load and unload from the busses but it is worth it. Don't do a meal plan since yiur kids are that young. It won't be worth it. Buy a good pair of shoes because you are on yiur feet all day. Kids and you for that matter will be worn out so be prepared.
Posted on 1/12/18 at 4:19 pm to Glock17
quote:
We book a trip for this fall the weekend prior to Thanksgiving. The wife has been doing some research, but just looking for one or two ideas that or can't miss, or things you should know for your first Disney trip. Will have 4 year old twins in tow. We will be there for 4 days of park visits. The early plan is to hit MK 2 times Epcot, and Hollywood Studios the other days.
Get a Park Hopper and split up DHS and Epcot. If you are going this fall Toy Story land will be open and worth checking out. Go To Animal Kingdom!
If you have only booked and not paid in full, find a TA and let them take over your reservation. They will have plenty of suggestion (at least the good ones) and will make all your ADR's and FP+'s so you dont have to wake up for 5:00 and 6:00 in the morning. The TA does not cost you anything extra, and if one does try to, find another.
Eat lunch at Flame Tree BBQ in Animal Kingdom. It is probably one of the best QS restaurants in WDW.
Posted on 1/12/18 at 4:46 pm to lsucm10
We are hooked up with one of the Disney agents. Anyone know if you can do the park hopper for just one or 2 days?
Posted on 1/12/18 at 4:50 pm to Glock17
You have to use the hopper for the same amount of ticket days you have. for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children ages 3-9) will add about $300 to your trip for four park days.
Posted on 1/12/18 at 7:01 pm to Glock17
For frick's sake read the sticky, we have a dozen threads where people have posted a ton of cool ways on how to manage Disney World like a pro
This post was edited on 1/12/18 at 7:02 pm
Posted on 1/12/18 at 8:53 pm to HoustonGumbeauxGuy
Relax bro... it’s just a message board. And I did read though a lot of those but there’s a lot of info to take in regarding Disney.
How’s the pop century resort? I know it’s a value place but we figured we won’t be in the room much
How’s the pop century resort? I know it’s a value place but we figured we won’t be in the room much
Posted on 1/12/18 at 9:59 pm to Glock17
Switch tickets to park hopper. Hollywood can be done in half a day and the 4 year olds can't ride any big roller coasters so that eliminates the need for fast passes at some of those unless they are 44-48". Animal Kingdom can also be done in less than a full day. Some will say epcot isn't for kids but they are wrong and my kids loved it. The great part of Epcot is that wait times for most rides rarely get long so if you really wanted you could knock it out early and then do Hollywood or vice versa. I enjoy the world showcase at night for the dinner options. They also have scavenger hunts the kids would like.
Rent a summit x3 stroller and it'll be a life saver. $100 for the week. Orlando or Kingdom Strollers are great. If you stay on site start figuring out your plan to get dining reservations when they open up 6 months from check in. A few places will never be available again. Strongly recommend early breakfast at a pre park opening place like Garden Grill in Epcot or Be Our Guest in MK. You'll be first In line for a few rides before the park even opens.
Make it about your kids and sit back and let them be kids. Ride Dumbo twice in a row if they want. Let them eat ice cream for dinner one night. Get them matching stuffed animals one day. They may not remember this trip but you will and watching their excitement will be worth the money and waiting in lines. You might not remember the long days and tired feet a decade from now but you'll never forget carrying your kids on your shoulder in front of the castle or taking a picture with Mickey. People hate on the place and I never was a Disney person until I saw how special it was for my kids.
Also you can book your dining without park tickets so don't let that slip. Check out touring Plans, Kenny the Pirate, and undercover tourist websites. Learn how to manipulate the fast pass system and take control over that instead of your planner. It's easier if you know how to do it once you're in the park so you can get more each day.
Rent a summit x3 stroller and it'll be a life saver. $100 for the week. Orlando or Kingdom Strollers are great. If you stay on site start figuring out your plan to get dining reservations when they open up 6 months from check in. A few places will never be available again. Strongly recommend early breakfast at a pre park opening place like Garden Grill in Epcot or Be Our Guest in MK. You'll be first In line for a few rides before the park even opens.
Make it about your kids and sit back and let them be kids. Ride Dumbo twice in a row if they want. Let them eat ice cream for dinner one night. Get them matching stuffed animals one day. They may not remember this trip but you will and watching their excitement will be worth the money and waiting in lines. You might not remember the long days and tired feet a decade from now but you'll never forget carrying your kids on your shoulder in front of the castle or taking a picture with Mickey. People hate on the place and I never was a Disney person until I saw how special it was for my kids.
Also you can book your dining without park tickets so don't let that slip. Check out touring Plans, Kenny the Pirate, and undercover tourist websites. Learn how to manipulate the fast pass system and take control over that instead of your planner. It's easier if you know how to do it once you're in the park so you can get more each day.
This post was edited on 1/12/18 at 10:03 pm
Posted on 1/13/18 at 7:51 am to Clark W Griswold
small tip for the toy store buzz light year ride at MK: research what targets are worth the most points online before you ride it. My kids loved having the high scores against everyone.
Posted on 1/13/18 at 9:39 am to Clark W Griswold
quote:
Learn how to manipulate the fast pass system and take control over that instead of your planner.
Other than child swap, is there any other method?
Posted on 1/13/18 at 9:48 am to SippyCup
Book your first 3 early. 10-11-12 so you can keep getting more. If on a ride with child swap ask for it even if you don't need it.
Posted on 1/14/18 at 8:38 am to Glock17
Unless you have the money to blow, I would personally not do a park hopper with 4 year olds. As a Florida resident we used to get 4 park hoppers a year and do 2 weekend trips. But with a little kid it ends up being too much, hell as an adult I got tired of it. It's nice to just concentrate on 1 park and do it well imo. If you were there for a week and the last couple of days want to jump around or you are a many return visitor that wants to hit specific rides only because you've seen it all that's different.
There's plenty enough stuff to do now at all the resorts to fill a day, and if you finish one early it's really nice to go back to the room one day before 9pm to chill out and take it easy. There's a lot of shows for little kids that they'll like that older kids and adults don't care as much for, especially at Hollywood studios and AK.
You'll likely want to watch the fireworks at MK and Epcot, which are late so plan on maybe sleeping in longer the next day. It's also nice to plan on getting back to your room early from HS because it closes early.
I'd personally recommend one day at each park, and save some stuff for a return trip. You won't be able to do it all either way.
There's plenty enough stuff to do now at all the resorts to fill a day, and if you finish one early it's really nice to go back to the room one day before 9pm to chill out and take it easy. There's a lot of shows for little kids that they'll like that older kids and adults don't care as much for, especially at Hollywood studios and AK.
You'll likely want to watch the fireworks at MK and Epcot, which are late so plan on maybe sleeping in longer the next day. It's also nice to plan on getting back to your room early from HS because it closes early.
I'd personally recommend one day at each park, and save some stuff for a return trip. You won't be able to do it all either way.
This post was edited on 1/14/18 at 8:45 am
Posted on 1/14/18 at 9:20 am to fishbig
quote:
Book your fast passes ASAP.
You can do this 60 days in advance if you stay on property, 30 days if off property.
quote:
Book your fast passes ASAP. Get a stroller for the kids. It's a pain to load and unload from the busses but it is worth it.
Get a rental for the week. The pickup is right by the park entrances and you don't have to lug one around. Get a ribbon to tie around yours so you can find it quickly from stroller parking.
quote:
Don't do a meal plan since yiur kids are that young. It won't be worth it.
This. Even if if older, it's only a deal if you would eat that same amount otherwise.
quote:
Buy a good pair of shoes because you are on yiur feet all day.
Absofrickinglutely. Bad shoes and you will be in agony.
I will also counsel patience. Even with FastPasses and reservations, you will still have to wait for shite. Keep small packs of goldfish or other small snacks so they won't get bored waiting.
The advice about Epcot us correct with one caveat...take some time to drop in for Nemo ride and Turtle Talk with Crush. Also the Frozen ride is in Norway if they are into that. Akerhaus in Norway has a great Princess character breakfast. Might be worth a half day.
Check out disboards.com for a shitton of info from hardcore Disneyphiles
This post was edited on 1/14/18 at 9:23 am
Posted on 1/14/18 at 9:46 am to Glock17
Pro tips:
-find+fake obscure medical condition that gets your money back for all tickets and Disney related reservations
-wait till kids are old enough to appreciate a vacation (grow recouped money from failed Disney expedition in the market)
-take kids, when old enough, to Washington DC for a week over Mardi Gras (the best time to go for low crowds and time off for LA people).
-let them explore and get educated at every FREE smithsonian, as well as the countless other attractions in the area.
-when kids grow up to college age show them the percent of 2018 income required to take them to Disney and ask if they a) feel like less of a person for not hanging with Mickey b) would consider John Doe spending unreal amounts of money to see a glorified theme park in the swamp a bad investment.
-if you follow through on all steps above the questions in the last step should be answered quickly and easily.
-find+fake obscure medical condition that gets your money back for all tickets and Disney related reservations
-wait till kids are old enough to appreciate a vacation (grow recouped money from failed Disney expedition in the market)
-take kids, when old enough, to Washington DC for a week over Mardi Gras (the best time to go for low crowds and time off for LA people).
-let them explore and get educated at every FREE smithsonian, as well as the countless other attractions in the area.
-when kids grow up to college age show them the percent of 2018 income required to take them to Disney and ask if they a) feel like less of a person for not hanging with Mickey b) would consider John Doe spending unreal amounts of money to see a glorified theme park in the swamp a bad investment.
-if you follow through on all steps above the questions in the last step should be answered quickly and easily.
Posted on 1/14/18 at 2:35 pm to Glock17
Check and see if they have a free dining plan when you are there. We went that same weekend a couple years ago and I learn if I check in on Thursday, I would get a free dining plan.
I would get park hopper. Epcot is a 1/2 day park unless you are a foodie. Every night, we end up back at MK. It would not be busy.
So hit a park until 5-ish, go back to the room for a nap, then go to MK.
Rent a good stroller, so even if the kids crash, you and your wife can enjoy some stuff.
If you don't get a dining plan, you are allowed to bring in any food you like, just has to be a soft side ice chest. Our last time there, we lived on P3's, Lunchables, and other things like this, plus brought our own drinks in. Saved $1000.
Do not, repeat, do not waste your fast passes on character meet n greets. If the kids want to meet the characters, do a breakfast with the characters. The lines for the meet n greets are the longest in the parks.
I would get park hopper. Epcot is a 1/2 day park unless you are a foodie. Every night, we end up back at MK. It would not be busy.
So hit a park until 5-ish, go back to the room for a nap, then go to MK.
Rent a good stroller, so even if the kids crash, you and your wife can enjoy some stuff.
If you don't get a dining plan, you are allowed to bring in any food you like, just has to be a soft side ice chest. Our last time there, we lived on P3's, Lunchables, and other things like this, plus brought our own drinks in. Saved $1000.
Do not, repeat, do not waste your fast passes on character meet n greets. If the kids want to meet the characters, do a breakfast with the characters. The lines for the meet n greets are the longest in the parks.
Posted on 1/14/18 at 5:00 pm to theantiquetiger
If you get dining plan, the kids are much cheaper, but you can use their credits for an adult meal at all the quick service places
They don't know if the credit you are using is for an adult or a child.
They don't know if the credit you are using is for an adult or a child.
Posted on 1/14/18 at 6:33 pm to Croacka
Yes, there are great ways to manipulate the meal plans to your benefit.
Posted on 1/14/18 at 7:23 pm to theantiquetiger
quote:
Do not, repeat, do not waste your fast passes on character meet n greets. If the kids want to meet the characters, do a breakfast with the characters. The lines for the meet n greets are the longest in the parks.
Disagree here and you said exactly why, the meet and greets are the worst lines to wait in for adults. The OP has twin 4 year olds, meet and greets are some of the best uses of fast passes as many of the rides for adults they won't be able to ride.
Now if you want to pay to meet characters the character Meals can be very good. But there's plenty to do with a family in 4 days to not need to pay for any extra activities.
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