Our First Family Disney Trip… Take Two! - May 2024 PTR (Update 5/4 - Animal Kingdom Must-Dos)

[jrmint427]

Attractions that will likely get the ax include the Indiana Jones stunt spectacular (it’s never been a favorite of mine) as well as Rock and Roller Coaster (if it’s open). We may check out Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy or the Disney Junior show if we have time to kill.

I love Indiana Jones! But this was the first trip my girls actually enjoyed it (at 7 and 9); they never liked it when they were younger. We were underwhelmed by the Racing Academy but both girls still enjoyed the Disney Junior show this year (and bonus for the adults that it's in A/C).

 

[jewels1916]

Just found your PTR by seeing one of your comments on another trip report, and I'm so glad I hopped over. I have a new little princess too, born right around the time you started this report, and have been so curious as to how to plan her first trip. I'm taking notes on your tips! Can't wait to see how it all goes!

 

[vamassey1]

He’s been there for so long - it’s nice that some things don’t change.

If there’s a park where I’m going to get lost on this vacation, it will be Hollywood Studios.

I always get turned around in this park from my very first visit. I just doesn't make sense like the other parks.

Back in 2016, this was the closest I came to Galaxy’s Edge:

I remember seeing this.

Rise of the Resistance looks like SO much fun. M is very excited to ride this and I think my husband will like it, too.

I think everyone will enjoy ROTR.

I’ll have to see if I can improve upon my last and highest score from eight years ago:

Very impressive.

The Tower of Terror is just spectacular. The theming is excellent, the CM’s are always on point, plus it’s a great thrill ride.

My favorite!

I think all four of us will love Runaway Railway. It looks like such a cute attraction and the magical entrance at the beginning looks like so much fun.

It's a great family ride.

I must admit I will miss its predecessor:

I still miss it.

This was a wonderful spot to kill time between attractions and I loved seeing all the memorabilia. I believe they still have a smaller version of this over in Walt Disney Presents - I hope I can convince my family to give it a try.

It's also great to get out of the heat.

I’m also excited to introduce my family to Fantasmic!

This is a family favorite for us. I'll never forget how invested Danielle was when she saw it for the first time. She couldn't take her eyes off of it.

I haven’t seen this show since 2015 as my 2016 show was rained out.

It rained out on us in 2017. Danielle swore it ruined her trip.

What’s your favorite attraction at the Studios?

Tower of Terror.

Are there any must-see attractions that my girls might enjoy that I likely bypassed as an adult traveler?

Maybe try to stop in Vacation Fun for the photo ops and to cool down.

 

[amazingact21]

I'm all caught up! I had to giggle at the countdown chain. Ever since I returned from FL, Evie has been asking me to make one for our DL trip, so I had to get crafty, too. Which is NOT my strong suit. All that to say, your chain is great and I loved that you coordinated colors with characters. I bet the girls are having fun breaking a chain a day. And gives them something visual to show you close you're getting to your trip!

Loved your must do's. And hooray for getting a pre-fireworks reservation. And an earlier Topolino's! Things are working out, and this is going to be a fantastic trip for your family.

DHS is going to keep you all busy with two new lands. But how exciting that there will be so many new sights to see. Not only will your daughters be experiencing new Disney sights and sounds, so will the parents.

Looking forward to your DAK must-do's. *cough* Satu'li Canteen *cough*

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I cannot wait for you to experience Hollywood Studios again. It is going to blow your mind!

Yes, I think it will! Despite my adoration for several attractions HS has never been my favorite park… but we’ll have to see which park will make its way to the top after this trip!

Star Tours makes me sick as a dog! Go figure!

Really?! I know the simulator rides do bother some people, but I’m surprised this bothers you more than Cosmic Rewind. I have zero motion sickness issues so I’m a terrible barometer for my husband or others that struggle on some rides.

Glad you’re going to be able to enjoy it.

I’m so happy we’ll catch a day of Flower and Garden. Epcot is beautiful anyway but it’s a whole other level during that festival. I’m also glad I’ll finally be able to try the Violet Lemonade - I missed it in 2016!

It does spin… but it’s not really a spinning ride. More… it’s a turning ride? However, I know that a lot of people do have some issues with it. Hard to say.

You’ll be up on me, here. Haven’t seen that yet.

Yes, I have a much better idea how the ride works after watching the new documentary “Epcot Becoming” (highly recommended, by the way!). I may have G watch the sections about Cosmic Rewind to give him the best information.

Moana’s walk-through looks so neat - hopefully you’ll be able to see it soon!

You should be!

You’ll all love it. Great ride.

Hollywood Studios should be SO fun - I’m really looking forward to experiencing the new lands! Rise of the Resistance looks amazing online and I’m sure it’s even better in-person.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I love Indiana Jones! But this was the first trip my girls actually enjoyed it (at 7 and 9); they never liked it when they were younger. We were underwhelmed by the Racing Academy but both girls still enjoyed the Disney Junior show this year (and bonus for the adults that it's in A/C).

I don’t know why Indiana Jones hasn’t appealed to me as much as the other shows! It’s possible G may enjoy the show, though, so I’m not opposed to seeing it. I appreciate hearing about your girls’ opinions of the show.

I’ve never stepped foot in Disney Junior (this will be my first trip with kids!) and I don’t think Racing Academy existed. Neither M or L is familiar with the Disney Junior characters (I wish they still had Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!) so I don’t know if they’d get as much out of the show, although both of them would love to dance around to the music.

The most likely reason we’d visit Racing Academy is if G takes L (and M, if she doesn’t want to join me) while I ride Tower of Terror next door. G is not interested in the Tower of Terror (why?!) and that would be a good nearby attraction to get them into the A/C.

Just found your PTR by seeing one of your comments on another trip report, and I'm so glad I hopped over. I have a new little princess too, born right around the time you started this report, and have been so curious as to how to plan her first trip. I'm taking notes on your tips! Can't wait to see how it all goes!

Welcome! I’m so glad you stopped in and commented!

Congratulations on your daughter! It will be a very different trip for me as I’m used to traveling with another adult. I hope I’m not too ambitious with our plans, but I plan to take advantage of afternoon breaks for naps and rest so hopefully that helps.

I really appreciate the tips I’ve gleaned from other reports and YouTube - I hope some of them are helpful for you, too! It’s a little overwhelming with the planning changes when children are involved but I can’t wait to see what they think of Disney World.

I always get turned around in this park from my very first visit. I just doesn't make sense like the other parks.

I agree! I think the fact that it doesn’t have a “central hub” like the other parks makes a difference. You can either go this way or that way but not link your way around - it makes for a much longer walk when you go the wrong way!

I think everyone will enjoy ROTR.

Yes, I think so too. The overall experience looks spectacular.

Very impressive.

Thanks! I finally broke 200K on my last trip and was VERY proud of myself.

My favorite!

It’s the best ride, isn’t it?! I never get tired of it and love both the thrill and the detailed theming. I hope (at least someday) that both of my girls will love it too.

It's a great family ride.

I still miss it.

MMRR looks so much fun! It’s the attraction M is most looking forward to riding at the Studios.

The GMR was one of my sister’s favorite attractions in Disney World and she was quite sad to see it go. It was never a favorite of mine but I did enjoy it and rode it each trip. It will be fun to see how they made the switch to Mickey and Minnie’s as I remember the original ride quite well.

It's also great to get out of the heat.

Yes, that too!

This is a family favorite for us. I'll never forget how invested Danielle was when she saw it for the first time. She couldn't take her eyes off of it.

That’s so sweet! I wasn’t originally planning to go to Fantasmic (HEA was my #1 nighttime priority), but that changed thanks to hearing the Fantasmic music on SXM Disney Hits in the car. M asked what the music was which led us to watching Fantasmic on YouTube… and now we have a Fantasmic dining package booked.

I don’t feel bad about it though, as long as my kids can manage two later nights! We are planning for “rest” days (a non-park morning or day) following each of the late nights, but I still have my fingers crossed that the later evening won’t turn the kids super cranky.

Tower of Terror.

YES!!! I knew I liked you.

Maybe try to stop in Vacation Fun for the photo ops and to cool down.

That’s a great idea! It’s always good to have extra spots to find A/C.

I'm all caught up! I had to giggle at the countdown chain. Ever since I returned from FL, Evie has been asking me to make one for our DL trip, so I had to get crafty, too. Which is NOT my strong suit. All that to say, your chain is great and I loved that you coordinated colors with characters. I bet the girls are having fun breaking a chain a day. And gives them something visual to show you close you're getting to your trip!

Welcome back from your trip! I’m sorry you got sick near the end but I hope you had a lot of fun during your races and with Alex at the parks. I also hope you loved your stay at the Wilderness Lodge!

Yes, M LOVES pulling off the ring every night! She shrieks every night when we look at how many days are left. I’m also glad I had the colors coordinate with characters as it’s extra fun to watch character by character disappear as we get closer to the trip.

Loved your must do's. And hooray for getting a pre-fireworks reservation. And an earlier Topolino's! Things are working out, and this is going to be a fantastic trip for your family.

Thanks - there are so many of them that I hope we make a decent dent! (Especially at MK!)

I was so relieved (and surprised!) when I found the fireworks pre-party. I did have a hiccup with that ADR after booking it, but thankfully it all turned out okay despite the stressful moments.

I was SUPER excited to get that earlier slot for Topolino’s. It’s somewhat of a miracle that I found it - I looked constantly and it’s the only ADR I found that day that was before 11:00. The funny thing is that I booked it while I was isolated in our guest bedroom with the stomach flu - nothing like searching for ADRs while half delusional!

DHS is going to keep you all busy with two new lands. But how exciting that there will be so many new sights to see. Not only will your daughters be experiencing new Disney sights and sounds, so will the parents.

It will be so much fun to see all the new things! It will be completely new to G and our girls as he’s never been to that park, either.

Looking forward to your DAK must-do's. *cough* Satu'li Canteen *cough*

Duly noted! (And never fear… I keep looking at the menu trying to decide between entrees. Would it be bad to order two? Plus dessert? )

 

[amazingact21]

The funny thing is that I booked it while I was isolated in our guest bedroom with the stomach flu - nothing like searching for ADRs while half delusional!

Oh no! Did you catch what your girls had over your trip? Well, everyone has had their share of sickness and should be good to go for Disney!

Yes, M LOVES pulling off the ring every night! She shrieks every night when we look at how many days are left.

This is wonderful. It's so great watching the kids get excited for a trip.

And never fear… I keep looking at the menu trying to decide between entrees. Would it be bad to order two?

Alex and I might or might not have split a cheeseburger pod along with our main entrees. So no judgement from me!

 

[kclark9830]

I am enjoying your PTR! I love Crytal Palace too, though we've never eaten breakfast there. We may need to change that!

 

[Mollydolly334]

OMG, Hollywood Studios will be a completely different park and experience for you!! So excited to hear if you like the changes

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Oh no! Did you catch what your girls had over your trip? Well, everyone has had their share of sickness and should be good to go for Disney!

No, I was lucky enough to catch an entirely different stomach bug!

Molly caught a more violent stomach bug a week after we returned home. I came down with it six days later which makes me think I caught it elsewhere (as that’s a longer than normal incubation period for a stomach virus and it was rampant in our area). Amazingly, neither G nor L (!) caught it, thank goodness.

And gosh, I sure hope so! I feel like we’ve had nonstop illnesses over here since January and I’m OVER it!

This is wonderful. It's so great watching the kids get excited for a trip.

It’s so sweet! I hope she’s as happy being in Disney World as she is thinking about being in Disney World.

Alex and I might or might not have split a cheeseburger pod along with our main entrees. So no judgement from me!

That makes me feel better! Thank you!

(And that is exactly my conundrum - I want one of the protein noodle bowls but also want the cheeseburger pods!)

I am enjoying your PTR! I love Crytal Palace too, though we've never eaten breakfast there. We may need to change that!

Thank you! I’m so glad you’re here, Katie!

I LOVE Crystal Palace’s breakfast! It’s lost some of its perks thanks to the different opening procedures (I loved being one of the first people in Fantasyland after our PPO breakfast!), but it should still be a charming place. I really enjoy doing the character breakfasts first-thing as the food is very fresh and the characters come faster as fewer tables are filled. Despite the menu changes you should try it!

OMG, Hollywood Studios will be a completely different park and experience for you!! So excited to hear if you like the changes

Yes, it will be a trip! I am really excited about the new attractions, especially ROTR and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, along with our meal at Roundup Rodeo BBQ. As long as I don’t get completely lost I’m sure I’ll love the new lands.

But… thank goodness they still have my Tower of Terror! I may be looking forward to that the most.

 

[suse66]

I love counting down to Disney trips but I did something I’ve never done before… M and I made a countdown chain!

Fun!

switched our dessert party!

For fun, I searched all the dessert parties the week of our visit. Imagine my surprise when availability showed up for the pre-party on the date we wanted!

What?!

The availability stayed the rest of the day so I had a chance to discuss it with G. I was hardly through the pros and cons of the two parties when he said, “Book it!”

Yay!!!! The pre party will work so much better for you.

It will be my first time seeing HEA and I am VERY excited!

Oh my gosh, you will LOVE it!! I am a huge Wishes girl and initially wasn't sure if I would like HEA. Let me tell you, I WEPT the first time I saw it. It is so beautiful. Bring Kleenex, you'll need it.

It only took about 150 attempts (err, perhaps not an exaggeration?), but I SCORED A BETTER TIME FOR TOPOLINO’S! We’re now eating two hours earlier and I am SO excited! This will work out so much better for us and gives our younger daughter a better chance to enjoy the Beach Club pool.

Awesome!!

I LOVE the Carousel of Progress and my older daughter has known the words to “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” since she was very young. I can’t wait to introduce it to my family, soak up the air conditioning, and sing along with M!

Yep! CoP is classic Disney and especially important to me as it is the only ride in MK Walt was directly involved with.

Another must-do is the Tomorrowland tour, also known as the Peoplemover:

The best!! Put L on your lap so you can get the classic foot picture.

If you’ve not visited Mike, Sully, and the rest of the monsters here you must give it a try on your next trip! I regretfully waited until more recent trips to try this one and was pleasantly surprised how funny it is. I think my whole family will enjoy it!

Monsters Inc laugh floor is always fun! I have great memories from a family trip where my son, Stuart, was chosen to be Russell. It was hilarious!

I LOVE Haunted Mansion and fell even more in love with it on my last Disney trip. It was the only attraction I told M she had to go on even if she wasn’t interested – it’s slow-moving and I figured she could close her eyes and plug her ears if necessary. Thanks again to YouTube, M is now pretty excited about Haunted Mansion, especially to see the new Hatbox Ghost! (Thank you, Disney, for installing the Hatbox Ghost!)

Haunted Mansion never gets old. I can happily ride it multiple times each trip.

The other attraction I’m excited to experience with my family is the Walt Disney World Railroad. My husband LOVES trains and all of us love a good train ride. The train is absolutely a must-do!

The MK train is the best!

I mean, how can you not love views like this?!

At the top of this list is Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind:

It's so amazing!

If you have any feedback on how he might do on Guardians (or tips to make it a good experience) – I’d love them!

My best tip is to focus on the music. Let your body relax and just go with the music as you move through the attraction. It's so much fun!

I know this is a simple walk-through attraction but it looks like SO much fun. We’re big Moana fans and know we’ll enjoy searching for the characters in the rocks and making the water react. Part of me hopes we’ll be able to do this twice!

This is such a great area for everyone to enjoy!

That said, I’m hoping to see just a bit of Epcot at night because it’s beautiful there at night:

If you are at BC then have your DH stay with the girls so you can come back for some solo park time.

Rise of the Resistance looks like SO much fun. M is very excited to ride this and I think my husband will like it, too.

It is a really great ride with an interesting storyline. Even though I'm not the biggest Star Wars fan, I really enjoyed it.

I LOVE Toy Story Mania! I’m a smidge competitive so this attraction is right up my alley. Although my scores on Buzz Lightyear have improved, I feel much better about this game as I can see where the heck I’m aiming.

I am terrible at this ride but love it all the same!

The Tower of Terror is just spectacular. The theming is excellent, the CM’s are always on point, plus it’s a great thrill ride.

Agreed!

I know it’s an older attraction, but I adore the Muppets so I visit their attraction every trip. The preshow is excellent and there are so many fun things to look at in the queue. M is excited to look for the key under the mat.

The Muppets are a classic.

The Frozen Sing-Along is SO much fun and will be enjoyed a ton by both of my girls.

Frozen sing along is a must do for me too. The historians make the show. And who doesn't love belting out "Let it Go" with the snow falling down.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Fun!

We’re having so much fun with the countdown chain! We’ll need to do it again for future trips.

Yay!!!! The pre party will work so much better for you.

Awesome!!

I’m so happy I found earlier reservations! It will work out so much better for us, particularly for the dessert party. I know the reserved section will be more crowded if we eat desserts first, but as we’re happy to hang back I think we’ll still have plenty of space.

Oh my gosh, you will LOVE it!! I am a huge Wishes girl and initially wasn't sure if I would like HEA. Let me tell you, I WEPT the first time I saw it. It is so beautiful. Bring Kleenex, you'll need it.

You’re not the first person to tell me this! I’m doomed!

Seriously, though, I’ve been preparing by watching it on YouTube. I still teared up during my multiple viewing of Wishes (I LOVED Wishes!) so that’s inevitable, but I think my husband would think I’d lost my mind if I started sobbing during fireworks.

The best!! Put L on your lap so you can get the classic foot picture.

That’s a great idea! I’ll have to do that.

My best tip is to focus on the music. Let your body relax and just go with the music as you move through the attraction. It's so much fun!

I’m super excited about Guardians! I explained the attraction to G and he doesn’t seem very interested… we’ll see if he changes his mind once I ride it and can give more exact feedback.

Frozen sing along is a must do for me too. The historians make the show. And who doesn't love belting out "Let it Go" with the snow falling down.

I love the Frozen Sing Along - it’s always so much fun. And yes, the snope! I’d forgotten about that and my daughters will LOVE it!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Animal Kingdom Must-Dos
a.k.a. Can we fit two shows into one day?

Animal Kingdom has grown on me over my last few trips.

I’ve always enjoyed it (the safari! Everest!) but it wasn't initially my favorite park.

However, I spent two days there during my last two trips and loved every minute! There are so many places to wander and take in the sights – plus several excellent attractions and some fun meet and greets. They also have several excellent restaurants and snacks!

Unfortunately, our trip length and rest days give us only one day in Animal Kingdom but I hope to make the most of it!

At the top of my must-do list is visiting a new to all of us land… Pandora!

(photo from Google)

I am super pumped to see Pandora which was still under construction during my last visit. I’m also VERY excited to ride one of the best rides in the Disney World, Flight of Passage:

(photo from Google)

M REALLY wants to ride this attraction and she’s super close (or just over) the height requirement. We’ll aim to ride this one in the morning to give her the best shot at riding. Fingers crossed!

We’ll also ride something we can all enjoy, Na’vi River Journey:

(photo from Google)

Overall, I’m really looking forward to soaking up the atmosphere of Pandora. I’m not really an Avatar fan (I’ve never even seen the movies!) but the land does look beautiful. And frankly, anything Joe Rohde is involved with tends to be spectacular.

Also topping my list is a overall Disney favorite of mine, Expedition Everest:

My daughter is so funny. She’s still nervous about trying Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Slinky Dog (although more excited than she was initially) but tells me over and over that she wants to ride Everest to see the Yeti. Everest also has a 44-inch height requirement, so this will also need to be tried early in the day. The good news is we’ll be trying all the other roller coasters first as we’re visiting Animal Kingdom on our last full day – she’ll have ample chance to try the other coasters and see if she really wants to brave Everest.

One thing we won’t be able to do, unfortunately, is ride it seven times in a row like I did back in 2016:

That was SO much fun and an excellent way to start my day at Animal Kingdom. (And I'm much more chill on my fifth ride on it of the day... perhaps it was the first experience for the guy next to me? )

M is also very excited about Dinosaur:

I must admit I’m a little sad to see Dinoland go! It’s been there during all my trips since 2005 and I’ll miss it. However, I’m glad we get a chance to ride Dinosaur and explore the area again before the retheming begins.

Another attraction that is on our list is one that can terrify children and adults alike:

I may be unique, but I really love It’s Tough to Be a Bug. I adore Zootopia (it’s one of my current favorite Disney movies) so I’m excited for the retheme, but I’m happy to don these bug glasses one more time:

M has watched the attraction several times so she knows what to expect. She’s also very excited that my husband knows nothing about the show so she can watch his reactions, specifically how he’ll react to the “bugs” leaving at the end of the show.

Another must-do is the best ride featuring real animals… Kilimanjaro Safaris:

I think my whole family will love this attraction. It was one of my in-laws’ favorites during their trip last month.

A final ride that tops G’s list is one I tend to avoid – Kali River Rapids. My husband LOVES water rides and he’d love to ride this. I do not so I volunteered to stay with L while he rides – hopefully M is willing to ride with him so he doesn’t have to go alone. The good news is we can have extra clothes and shoes with us thanks to the stroller.

If we have a chance, I’d love to wander on the animal trails in Asia:

And Africa:

They’re so well done and it’s always fun to spot the tigers and gorillas:

The theming on those trails is also fantastic:

The final must-dos for us are the fantastic shows.

My favorite show at Animal Kingdom is Finding Nemo:



The puppetry is amazing and it makes me tear up every time. They’ve updated the show since my visit and I’m excited to see it. I believe it still includes most of the songs from the prior show, which was my favorite part of the show. M is also much more excited about the Finding Nemo musical than the other must-do show:

Festival of the Lion King is certainly fantastic, but I agree that Nemo is a stronger draw for us. I do think she’ll like both, though, so we’ll do what we can to fit in both shows!

There isn’t much I’d like to miss at Animal Kingdom (remember that I consider it a two-day park!), but we’ll probably bypass the Wildlife Express Train and Rafiki’s Planet Watch, as well as Triceratop Spin. The bird show will also get the ax as the other two shows are so spectacular.

We’ll also likely forgo most of the meet and greets, although I may try to meet Minnie and Mickey with L while the other two get drenched on Kali River Rapids. If L loves the characters I’m sure she’d love to see them in their safari gear:

As for food, this is the only park where we don’t have an ADR! This feels so strange to me, especially because I really enjoy both Yak and Yeti and Tusker House. However, with dinner plans at Boma it doesn’t make sense to eat at Tusker House and I’m not sure that my family would be as excited about Yak and Yeti.

This also gives us a chance to try a new-to-me restaurant:

Hooray for the protein bowls at Satu’li Canteen! This restaurant gets so many rave reviews that I’ve not been as excited for a quick service restaurant since those in the Harry Potter sections of Universal. I’m struggling with what to order as I want the protein noodle bowls and the cheeseburger pods… I guess I’ll have to order both!

Despite the fact I want to experience most of the attractions, I also want time to wander and enjoy Animal Kingdom. It has such a different vibe than the other parks – it’s a great lower-key choice for our final park day.

Other than Nomad Lounge (which I’d love to visit but can’t see where I’d fit it in!) is there anything else you love at Animal Kingdom?