Did I make a mistake?

[lookame]

Were only doing 5 days in the parks. 2 Magic Kingdom, 1 Epcot, 1 Hollywood Studios 1 kids pick
Daughter is 4 years old, son is 12 parents are set to join us so 6 people altogether

Our first day in Magic Kingdom I got an early BOG reservation at 8:25 am. Then I grabbed a reservation for Harmony Barber shop for DD first haircut. Was this a bad idea? Did I make a mistake scheduling her haircut mid morning?

As a side note. DD has really cute spiral curls and my mom is worried she'll loose them when she gets her haircut but hubs has been wanting to get it cut since she was 2.

 

[Seoulbro]

Early morning means lower temperatures and lower crowds. I might want to use that time for rides, and get the haircut on my down time in the afternoon, when rides are busier and temperatures are hotter. Just my 2 cents.

 

[lookame]

Early morning means lower temperatures and lower crowds. I might want to use that time for rides, and get the haircut on my down time in the afternoon, when rides are busier and temperatures are hotter. Just my 2 cents.

I had that thought as well...after the fact. Plus I feel like I’m traversing the park, going from all the way in the back to the front...I did not consider all this when I made the reservation for the haircut. 2 pm would probably be a much better time.

Just as a side note we’re going in Jan.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

All kids/families are different of course... but at 4 mine were (are) generally fine with sticking to a park schedule in the AM... but then by afternoon it's sort of 'anything goes' depending on weather, crowds, stamina, moods, etc. We have better success scheduling fun/unique activities in the early part of the day and always seem to want to bail/cancel on things we schedule later in the day as the motions of a Disney day take over.

While BOG breakfast and a mid-morning stop at Harmony does involve some back/forth across the park, it's a plan that would work for our style and something I can see us doing.

Different strokes for different folks though.

 

[lookame]

All kids/families are different of course... but at 4 mine were (are) generally fine with sticking to a park schedule in the AM... but then by afternoon it's sort of 'anything goes' depending on weather, crowds, stamina, moods, etc. We have better success scheduling fun/unique activities in the early part of the day and always seem to want to bail/cancel on things we schedule later in the day as the motions of a Disney day take over.

While BOG breakfast and a mid-morning stop at Harmony does involve some back/forth across the park, it's a plan that would work for our style and something I can see us doing.

Different strokes for different folks though.

I think if we can get a really good early morning adr for crystal palace at 8 or 9 that’s be better. My parents could take my 12 yr old and ride space mountain and maybe another ride in Tomorrowland. A later reservation for her haircut may not work as well due to her getting tired.

I like BOG and it may work with my parents taking my son but some of the rides in fantasyland I’d like us all to do together and it’s a walk to Tomorrowland from BOG as well which isn’t ideal with my parents especially.

 

[chs27]

As a hairdresser who works on little children, I can tell you that you want to get your daughter's haircut before she gets overstimulated. As the day progresses, she will not be up to new experiences. The haircut itself will only last a few minutes.

 

[JenzyHP]

I'd keep the haircut in the morning. It's much easier for my kids at least to sit for that and behave in the morning. That's an important milestone and I wouldn't want a cranky kid.

 

[Wayland10]

Or you could just let her curls keep growing until she looks like Merida!

 

[lookame]

Or you could just let her curls keep growing until she looks like Merida!

I want to! She has the most adorable spiral curls but they tend to get tangled up. My husband has been wanting to get her haircut for 2 years...holding him off until now has been a task and when I ask him if it's worth it he goes "YEAH! She'll be four and a half! The only reason why we waited was cause you always said we'd get it done in Disney!"

 

[tinkerjo]

She will think she’s going to Disney every time you say she needs a haircut lol dang it, have to go to Disney again DD needs a haircut . Seriously though, does she want her hair cut? I would hate for such a happy place like WDW be associated with the trauma of an unwanted haircut. If she wants it, go for it!!! I’m sure the pictures would be adorable. My DD had beautiful curls and then she became a teenager and straightened it every day. cutting it made it more curly.

 

[Wayland10]

I want to! She has the most adorable spiral curls but they tend to get tangled up. My husband has been wanting to get her haircut for 2 years...holding him off until now has been a task and when I ask him if it's worth it he goes "YEAH! She'll be four and a half! The only reason why we waited was cause you always said we'd get it done in Disney!"

Hmmm... I'm sure that you have thought of this, so feel totally free to ignore me , but I also have very curly hair that has been known to eat combs, and if I got a major haircut in the Florida humidity my hair would immediately puff up and I would look like a poodle! Of course, your daughter would probably make an adorable poodle, and the photos will definitely be keepsakes!

 

[gharter]

I think it works. Kids often get tired, fussy later in the day and that doesn't work for haircuts.

 

[lookame]

She will think she’s going to Disney every time you say she needs a haircut lol dang it, have to go to Disney again DD needs a haircut . Seriously though, does she want her hair cut? I would hate for such a happy place like WDW be associated with the trauma of an unwanted haircut. If she wants it, go for it!!! I’m sure the pictures would be adorable. My DD had beautiful curls and then she became a teenager and straightened it every day. cutting it made it more curly.

I didn’t think about if she’d be worried or scared. Right now she’s excited about it and was telling me she wants her hair cut but when she’s in the chair that may change...she hates getting her hair brushed because it tangles and knots so easily. At the same time though I feel it’s better to get it cut in Disney cause they’ll give her a light up toy to play with and cover her in stickers while the places here are...ok...at doing first haircuts.

My mom thinks she should get the makeover at biddity boddity boutique instead and my dad thinks anything that cuts out ride time is a waste

 

[sapphirerose915]

I scheduled DS 1st haircut at 130. I figured by time he is done we can go outside and watch parade and then head out for nap time!! I'd try to push it back slightly.. it is all the way back at the entrance of the park.. so make it either 1st stop or last!

 

[daisy2013]

My concern would be if the barbers know how to correctly cut curly hair. As a mom of a child with very curly hair, I trusted the woman who cut my other daughter’s hair because she swore she could cut curly hair. She couldn’t. My daughter ended up with mushroom head and we had to make a second appt with a curly hair specialist to fix it. It took a year to grown out. She continues to only go to a curly hair specialist (and it cost more than my hair cut) but it’s perfect everytime and grows out nicely

 

[Best Aunt]

Seriously though, does she want her hair cut? I would hate for such a happy place like WDW be associated with the trauma of an unwanted haircut.

Hmmm... I'm sure that you have thought of this, so feel totally free to ignore me , but I also have very curly hair that has been known to eat combs, and if I got a major haircut in the Florida humidity my hair would immediately puff up and I would look like a poodle!

she hates getting her hair brushed because it tangles and knots so easily. At the same time though I feel it’s better to get it cut in Disney cause they’ll give her a light up toy to play with and cover her in stickers while the places here are...ok...at doing first haircuts.

My concern would be if the barbers know how to correctly cut curly hair.

I agree with all of these concerns. I think you shouldn't do it at all. I also think you will ignore my advice and do it anyway. I mean, you can't buy her a light up toy and stickers and give them to her at a hair place at home?

My hair is thick and curly. I always let it grow out before going to Disney World, so that it is long enough to pull back in a ponytail. The one time it was too short to do that, I was miserable because it was so hot.

 

[lookame]

Everyone is giving me a lot to think about. Her hair is curly and it does curl more in humidity, otherwise it’s a relaxed curl. The top of her head doesn’t have curl but it does around her neck. I don’t want her to be miserable however I know my husband will get super irritated if we don’t do it. :/

 

[piglet1979]

For us we would do rides in the AM as lines and temps are lower. But everyone tours differently.

For the curls, my DS had curly hair even after it was cut a few times. He lost the curls after my niece cut his hair and to fix it we had to give him a buzz pretty close to the scalp. I think your DD will not lose the curl with just a simple trim.

 

[kniquy]

I would try to get it for sometime in the afternoon.. this way you can have your morning park time and take advantage of the lower crowds. Have lunch and then go for the haircut. Those morning are so valuable with getting to some of those harder to get rides/FP. As for the curls -- whether she gets her hair cut at home or at WDW will have the same effect on the curls. My boys had their hair cut there, not even for their first time and it was still a memorable occasion for them.

 

[Cherrychip]

My concern would be if the barbers know how to correctly cut curly hair. As a mom of a child with very curly hair, I trusted the woman who cut my other daughter’s hair because she swore she could cut curly hair. She couldn’t. My daughter ended up with mushroom head and we had to make a second appt with a curly hair specialist to fix it. It took a year to grown out. She continues to only go to a curly hair specialist (and it cost more than my hair cut) but it’s perfect everytime and grows out nicely

I agree with this concern. For curly hair, I would not book a haircut at Disney or anywhere without doing research and finding a stylist that specialized in that hair type. If your DH is really insistent that she get a haircut, I would research a good stylist at home, buy the light up toys or whatever, and do the haircut ahead of the trip-you could frame it as getting a special makeover for your trip to meet the princesses to make it more special. Or, if you really want the first haircut to be at Disney, I would just have them do a little trim and book an actual haircut back home right after the trip.