First post, first trip to WDW with kids, please help!

[Ladymuck]

We have a 4yo and a 6 yo, and will be staying at the Disney Polynesian for 3 nights and at a villa for 7 nights. We'll do a Disney blitz at the start as the boys are early starters , so wanted to use EMH etc. Alas booked a Cindy ADR before knowing the EMHs that day, so here is the draft itinerary so far:

Thursday 12 April - arrive 4pm ish, dip in the pool then sleep

Friday 13 April - MGM - haven't booked a dinner ADR for all of us here as we're not sure what times kids will crash (they are usually in bed 7pm UK). We have booked a sitter though so adults will head to EPCOT for dinner

Saturday - Dad and 6yo head to AK for EMH and do Everest, Primeval Whirl; Mum and 4yo to Cindy's Breakfast at MK(8:20), then meet up in AK and do rest of park. ADR for Spirit of Aloha at 5:15

Sunday MK. Transfer to villa at end of day

Monday - Shopping and get used to villa. Might do a couple of hours in a park, or visit water park?

Tuesday - Sea World

Wednesday Typhoon Lagoon

Thursday - IoA, 9:30 character breakfast (6yo is a Spiderman fan!)

Friday, Saturday - unplanned, but assume that we will go back to favourite parks or any that we felt we didn't spend enough time in.

Sunday, water park to tire out kids then depart.



We're deliberately leaving EPCOT and Universal until the boys are older. Not sure whether to do an ADR for Thursday (arrival), or indeed for any of the other nights. Given the price of the tickets we ended up with the 7 night Disney Premium, so getting into parks shouldn't be a problem.

We're assuming that we'll have a midday break when at Disney, but for Seaworld etc will stay in the park for a rest, but would be grateful for any tips!

Thanks

[Ladymuck]

OK spot the newbie:blush:

No idea how I managed 2 threads! Tips on how to delete one welcome too!

[missl]

:wavey: Hi welcome:wavey:

[grumpys wife]

Hello:wavey: and welcome to the Dibb:thumbs-up

[Ladymuck]

Thanks for the welcome:mickeybou

[Mishka]

Hello and welcome

[paulac]

Hi and welcome to the dibb :wave:

We find seaword is a relaxing park, but it can be quite difficult to get out of the heat. So if you are intending to spend the whole day there, I would try and do a 'Pets Ahoy show' during midday, but you must get there early enough as others have the same idea. Other attractions out of the heat are Penquin encouter, shark encouter and wild artic.

Edited to say I wouldn't do an ADR for arrival day, just grab something quick and easy, a dip in the pool and bed. :)

Paula

[debs1505]

Dont disregard Universal just cos of the little ones ages! Shrek, Jimmy Neutron/Spongebob, Curious George, Woody Woodpecker, ET - loads for the younger ones to do there! :wavey:

[MattF]

Hi and a warm welcome to the dibb!!

Definitely consider Universal as debs says. As well as all of those there is also the show with Barney - "A day in the Park with Barney". Our 2 loved this

[debs1505]

And the Animal Actors show with chimps, dogs, birds etc! Very funny!

[Alyson]

Welcome to the Dibb.

Happy planning!

[beanybucket]

:wavey: maybe consider doing universal my kids will be 11, 8 & 2 and we're doing it this year my little man will love seeing barny :d: and my middle DS's favourite park is epcot you might be suprised:thumb:



int/driv04:stitch: al*mov06:mike:

[susieb]

Hiya. Ive just got back from my first WDW trip with two four year olds. We also went for 9 nights.

I think you have it pretty sussed. You havent tried to cram too much in. I would hold with the evening ADRs as you will find the kids will crash about 8pm. Latest ours lasted was 9pm. In fact we missed quite a few fireworks cos of this.

We didnt do Universal either partly as we were only there 9 nights and partly due to age of kids. There is PLENTY for kids just at Disney on a 9/10 night trip.

I have to say though my nephew (4) LOVED Epcot. I didnt plan in hardly any time there but he loved it so much we went back. The nemo ride and Spaceship Earth is PERFECT for age 4-6. If you go one evening you can ride both with no queue then leave.

We planned on coming back to room for naps midday (we stayed on site) but kids were too hyper and wouldnt nap/rest. What worked better for us was park 10.30 - 5 then a nap in the car on way for dinner somewhere which enabled them to stay up till 8 without the major grumps.

Having said that, we went in Feb so the weather was very mild and not midday heat issue. If I went back at a hot time I think I would be more inclined to insist on midday break.

Eat at Shoneys - great, clean, nice buffet food, also very cheap. Great for young kids as no waiting and they feel very grown up being able to choose from the buffet.

Seaworld is amazing, dont bother with Odyysea show tho - its aimed at the over 60s and ours got really bored. Dont miss Pets Ahoy, Clyde & Seymour and of course Shamu.

Other things they loved:

Jungle Cruise at MK
Lion King Show at AK
Buzz Lightyear ride at MK
Orbiter at MK
Fantasmic at MGM

The waterparks were a bit of a stress as the kids run about majorly excited and you have to run about after them trying not to lose sight of them. I found it very hard to relax and could only cope with a couple of hours there as they were like two marbles and me and my sister spent the whole time running after them shouting "Stay there! Come here!" Especially if it's busy.

Have a great time, its truly magical.....you will love it.

[Ladymuck]

Many thanks for all the responses. I'll definitely do another think about universal - looking at the tickets I seem to have 3 days at Universal/IoA, so the option is there.

Susie - did you manage the Fantasmic show? It sounds great, but right now I don't know whether my youngest will make it through the day!

Both of my boys are fish. They love Centreparcs just for the swiming pool, and ideally they would probably be swimming each day, but we'll see. I'm trying to hold it lightly, as it wouldn't surprise me to find that they want to be in a waterpark everyday and not bother with anything else!

We're usuing a babysitting service for one night at the Polynesian so that we can grab an adult meal, and might do so again later in the week. mine are usually early risers so we'd probably alwasy want to be in a park early, but I hear what you're saying about being too hyper for a sleep!

[susieb]

Fantasmic brilliant. We didnt get to the park until 130pm so thats how we managed to keep going (they had a nap/rest in car after brunch at Perkins!) It meant that we didnt see too much of MGM but Fantasmic was high on our list so we compromised. The dragon in it is fantastic for boys especially.

The parade at MGM is also brilliant (better than MK one) for boys - it has soldiers from toy Story, Power Rangers, Darth Vadar and a Darlek who all come and touch the kids - my nephew nearly fainted when he saw REAL power rangers!

Our love swimming too and we did have a job getting them out of hotel swimming pool (we stayed at ASM and it was themed pool).

We also kept them going by using a hired stroller which meant that we were actually more tired than kids. My DD who is only just four was in it all the time and nephew who is 4.5 and a big, strong lad was still in it a lot. Neither of them would be seen in a stroller at home but hopped straight in.

Good luck and enjoy you lucky thing!!

[liz]

:) If you do nothing else all holiday you must must do FANTASMIC. Get seated about an hour or more before the start date and take it in turns to go off for a walk with the little ones.:)

[Ladymuck]

Is that a recommendation for us or the kids?:grin:

We were considering getting a sitter and going in for an evening show ourselves but I haven't booked anything yet. I'd love the kids to see it but I'm not sure whether they'll be awake! Perhaps I take them along anyway?

I've rethought IoA and Universal having seen the height restrictions. We'll spend a day at universal and do the Spiderman breakfast at IoA plus a couple of rides and then head to a water park. When I booked my tickets I ended up with a 3day ticket for Universal so I don't feel that I'm wasting an entrance fee.