Booking with Kids Tips

[vballnic3]

Hey Hey Everyone!
I took my first trip with kids last November when we went to WDW with my son 2.5 at the time. This was also my first trip with Fastpass +. I am trying to plan another trip towards end of April with my son who will be 4 and daughter who will be 1.75 years old. I want to share some things I would do different but want to hear your tips too!

1. I would not book character meals for breakfast. Yes it is cheapest then but this is prime time for the kiddos and being stuck in a restaurant for a long time seemed like a waste.
2. I would arrive at the park at rope drop again but I would not book fastpasses until late morning or early afternoon.

Please Share

 

[HarleenQ]

We actually found the opposite to be true for character meals.

The characters coming around kept the kids entertained and we got to eat at the same time. It was like two birds with one stone. We didn't have to stop in the park or use a FP to meet those same characters during the day.

I'll add - WATER. My middle would drink when she was thirsty and ended up dehydrated. It was awful.

I think cars with little kids are amazing. It's so much nicer to walk to the car and have a seat instead of standing and balancing kids on the bus, IMO.

Go at their pace. You won't see it all.

MM - get it! They catch some great candid moments that make the price entirely worth it.

 

[vballnic3]

We are thinking about taking a car. Do you know can you walk to your parking space in all the parks? I am aware it may be far.

MM totally agree!! Amazing!

 

[roseaster]

We actually find the Disney transportation easier. It can be a long, hot haul to the car, and you still have to wait in the heat to get on the tram. At least with the buses at the end of the day when the adults are sticky and cranky, too, we don't have to deal with traffic.

As for breakfast character meals. We always booked the latest breakfast seating time and had a brunch. Quick granola bars or *gasp* donuts on the way to the park tided them over. The meal made for a nice break, it held over until dinner with just a snack in between, and I agree, better character interaction without waiting in line.

With babies/toddlers if we planned a sit-down meal that wasn't kid themed we planned it for a time when we knew that they would be sleeping. Restaurants say they don't always let strollers in, but we found if the baby was sleeping when we checked in they were more than happy to let us bring in the stroller. I think everyone prefers that to a crying baby.

We plan a day in the middle of the trip as a "down time" day, where we sleep in and lounge at the pool. It helps everyone to rejuvenate.

For MNSSHP we don't buy park tickets for that day. They will let you in MK at 4pm even though the party starts at 7. We sleep in that day and relax at the pool so that we can stay out late.

Mandatory bathroom breaks. One too many accidents with kids waiting until that last minute and then not being near a bathroom.

 

[Petit_Rose]

Plan to let the kids nap - it can be sensory overload for them, so go back to your hotel in the afternoon for a couple of hours.

Make use of the Rider Swap system

Be flexible - kids are unpredictable. Our first Disney trip with our baby was for 5 days/4 nights and we ended up spending two solid days in our room at the end of the trip because our baby was teething.

 

[roseaster]

Plan to let the kids nap - it can be sensory overload for them, so go back to your hotel in the afternoon for a couple of hours.

Make use of the Rider Swap system

Be flexible - kids are unpredictable. Our first Disney trip with our baby was for 5 days/4 nights and we ended up spending two solid days in our room at the end of the trip because our baby was teething.

For us the "back to the room to nap" thing never worked. The kids slept on the trip back to the room and were awake when we got there. My kids were good nappers and slept in the stroller. Which worked, because then we could concentrate on rides that the older kids wanted to ride that the younger ones were too small to ride.

Which reminds me. Take your own stroller. One that reclines for naps. Aside from being cheaper, you know it is comfortable to push, and the baby will be comfortable sleeping in it, and you will have it at the airport.

A blanket or beach towel to throw over the stroller to block out the sun while the baby is sleeping.

 

[monorailsilver]

Bring breakfast and eat it in the room before you leave for the park. My dh and I would take turns showering and the kids would be eating then. Save lots it time waiting in line, waiting for the food and then eating when we were all ready to just go.

I won't d breakfast either. I mean I love breakfast but I am not going to shell out big $$$$ for that. I'd rather do dinner where they get a veggie!

We leave the room between 7-7:15 and are back after lunch for a nap and then return at about 5 to closing. We do plan non park days to veg around the pool. We all nap BTW!

Zip lock bags to put leftovers in. My older 2, well more so my oldest ate like a bird. There were meals I didn't want to share with her because either I was hungry or I knew she wouldn't eat it so she got her own kids meal and she never ate the entire thing so I put it in a bag in our cooler with the ice pack and she would have leftovers for lunch or dinner.

laundry-did it every day when the kids were smaller (I have 3) now we can do it every 2 days. We bring 4-5 outfits and wear 2 a day.

Wipes went in a big zip lock bag instead of that smaller hard container they used to have. This way I was never worried I'd run out of them.

We don't do the dining plan and o hate to miss park time eating at a sit down when we all just took a nap so I plan 1-2 sit downs on our non park days.

Go with the flow. One year, I am thinking it was just dh and I or it could of been we had 1 kid and we were on the monorail coming back from Epcot to go to our room at the Poly. This one mom whipped out the plans and started saying at X o'clock we have to be here and then we will go there. My dh and I rolled our eyes at one another. This was pre fast pass.

 

[HarleenQ]

We are thinking about taking a car. Do you know can you walk to your parking space in all the parks? I am aware it may be far.

MM totally agree!! Amazing!

We have. We've never parked all the way in the back, but I've never seen anyone stopped from walking to their car.

 

[Baklava]

We did several character breakfasts but most were PPO. I think the only one we did that wasn't was on our first day after a late arrival the night before.

 

[monorailsilver]

We are thinking about taking a car. Do you know can you walk to your parking space in all the parks? I am aware it may be far.

MM totally agree!! Amazing!

The MK you will have to park and take the ferry or monorail. I believe all the other parks you can walk to your car or take the tram.

 

[wampuscat7]

I've heard booking breakfast in the park before the park opens is great. Anyone here have experience?

For us the "back to the room to nap" thing never worked. The kids slept on the trip back to the room and were awake when we got there. My kids were good nappers and slept in the stroller. Which worked, because then we could concentrate on rides that the older kids wanted to ride that the younger ones were too small to ride.

Which reminds me. Take your own stroller. One that reclines for naps. Aside from being cheaper, you know it is comfortable to push, and the baby will be comfortable sleeping in it, and you will have it at the airport.

A blanket or beach towel to throw over the stroller to block out the sun while the baby is sleeping.

This makes a lot of sense to me. Thanks! I bought a fantastic umbrella stroller with a sun shade that reclines prior to our cruise last winter, and it made ALL the difference. My hubby is 6'3", so I especially wanted to make sure we had something that wouldn't be too short for him.

They also make UV-blocking sunshades you can buy for strollers. Protects from the sun and cooler than a blanket over the stroller.

 

[tami82]

Going at rope drop a good idea and do fast passes later on. Also put the parks app on your phone so if you want to look them up they are right there or even to change them. I agree especially if paying out of pocket for a character meal is expensive. What we did since we flew, ordered from Walmart.com and got all drinks, snacks, and a few breakfast items since I really didn't want to pay for breakfast each day. If I didn't have a big table service meal planned For dinner I would do a counter service lunch and counter service dinner that day. Also I bought the smaller sized water bottles and made sure we all brought one into the parks each morning. It was just enough to get us through a few hours and beat dehydration. Also neck fans are good in case they get overheated and cranky.

 

[roseaster]

I've heard booking breakfast in the park before the park opens is great. Anyone here have experience?


This makes a lot of sense to me. Thanks! I bought a fantastic umbrella stroller with a sun shade that reclines prior to our cruise last winter, and it made ALL the difference. My hubby is 6'3", so I especially wanted to make sure we had something that wouldn't be too short for him.

They also make UV-blocking sunshades you can buy for strollers. Protects from the sun and cooler than a blanket over the stroller.

We did the towel thing on the fly with my 11 year old when she was on her 1st trip at 8 months. She has always been absolutely miserable if she is woken up before she is ready. We usually go in the fall (we live in NJ "Jersey week") so it isn't as hot.

We aren't rope drop people. (See above miserable non-morning children LOL) but I have read that planning a breakfast before park opening is a good plan, then you miss the rope drop crowd.

We always brought lightweight strollers that fold easily to the parks. We are tall people, too, so we never wanted to be stuck stooping over a short stroller.

We have always done in-room breakfasts. We get cereal and pastries and bagels and PB. We do an order from Garden Grocer and make sure we always have a room with a fridge.

many years ago when we were researching our 1st trip everyone recommended returning to the room mid day. We tried that. The kids fell asleep on the bus, and when we got to the hotel they were raring to go. For us it just worked better to let the napper(s) nap in the stroller.

A new tip I thought of. A change of clothes. My kids liked to play in the water areas, and a few of them (2 I can think of in particular) were absolute slobs and managed to spill everything down their front. Then there are the diaper blow out caused by too many treats.

I also love "The Unofficial Guide." It is available in e-book format and it gives you a discount for www.touringplans.com

 

[UnaPalomita]

The buses last year at CBR were great when the weather was good. The one night it rained, like a downpour, was a little tougher, but I wore a skirt so this may have made the experience tougher for me. My son was 4.25 and didn't complain or have a meltdown on the bus.

However, if I was traveling with an infant I'd definitely consider the car option! You do have to take a bus once you park at the TTC, just keep that in mind. Happy planning!

 

[Pesky]

Agree with RD. We also took a bit of a mid-day break. Even if just a little, it helped the kids to unwind a bit and relax plus miss the worst of the crowds. Also I had forgotten the stroller for our then 4YO and regretted it deeply to the point of renting a stroller while we were there.