What's the best way to enjoy Disney World?

[creditcardfree]

Another thing people do to avoid the heat of Florida is to leave the park for awhile in the afternoon during the hottest part. We did that the first time we went and found it a little inconvenient, but we did have younger children. Other times we just found indoor shows to watch, or hung out longer in a restaurant for a snack and cool drink or browsed the souvenirs for awhile. Either way drink lots of water!

[disneysteve]

Looks like a $5K trip to me.

About right for 4 people. We spend about 3K for the 3 of us but we really know how to do things cheap.

I am really hoping the 360 degree Canada film/exhibit is still there - that was one of my favorite things.

It is still there. China and France also have nice movies. While you are waiting for the movie in China, there is also a display of terra cotta warriors which is neat.

[Gailete]

Took the boys there years ago. During the laser light show kid #1 wandered off while we were dealing with kid #2 who thought it was a good time to lose his first tooth and then it dropped so we had to scramble around to find it for the tooth fairy, and then noticed #1 was missing. When to the nearest employee told them we couldn't find him, and their lost child protocol went into action and he was found within minutes. Of course, of the two the one that I would have expected to wander off was #2 kid. Anyhow a good ending. I'm sure plenty of things changed since that point in time though.

We had wanted to stay on site but just couldn't afford it, so we got a place outside the park and I bought groceries at the store for us to eat for breakfast and as needed snacks. We ate out for dinner. We had discovered Shonies on our drive down and I don't know if there was one there or if they still are around but that was a great family restaurant with good prices then.

As we stayed off site, we didn't go to the park every day, we sometimes hung out at the hotel pool. I loved Disneyland growing up and had been there many times, but WDW that was my only trip there. I think we did the regular park and rides one day and then another we did the Epcot area. You do have to pace yourself especially with smaller children. I thought mine were big enough to enjoy and remember and I was always curious about the parents I would see with a baby or toddler in a stroller. Either mom or dad really liked Disney, because that child was never going to remember the trip.

With teens, be sure to have set times and meeting places to check in at. You can never be too careful.

One other word of caution Disney Steve mentioned wearing light colored clothes. Light white, pastel colored cotton tops you need to be sure you have sun screen on your skin under them as that sun can burn you right through your clothing. You need it light for the heat and humidity, but I still remember going to S. America one summer while in college. I had grown up in S. California and knew how to dress, but one of the girls was Canadian and had never gone further south of the Canadian/USA line. She wore a white blouse in Miami our first day there and got a severe sunburn right through her clothes. I'm pretty sure that the sun's burning properties hasn't changed in those years. Be sure to buy the sunscreen and things like that before leaving home as it will probably be a lot cheaper at your local stores than down there.

[disneysteve]

We had discovered Shonies on our drive down and I don't know if there was one there or if they still are around but that was a great family restaurant with good prices then.

I was always curious about the parents I would see with a baby or toddler in a stroller. Either mom or dad really liked Disney, because that child was never going to remember the trip.

Shoney's is not still around, at least not anywhere close to Disney World. The two nearby closed a while ago.

As for taking little ones to Disney, I can speak to that. The first time we took DD she was 5-1/2 months old. Then we went for her first birthday, another time that year, again for her 2nd birthday, etc. No, she does not remember those early trips but that doesn't mean she didn't enjoy them at the time. And, of course, DW and I loved experiencing the parks through her eyes and we have hundreds of treasured pictures of her in the parks and with the characters. We started a tradition of getting a photo of her with Tigger every trip since she was 5 months old. We continue that tradition now and took that picture when we were there a few months ago and she's 22 now.

The key to taking little people is that you have to go at their pace and stick to their schedule. If they need a break, take a break. If they normally nap at 2pm, then be back in the room so they can nap. If they go to sleep at 7pm, then do that. The worst thing is all of the parents who drag their screaming exhausted kids around until midnight because that's what the parents want to do and then they are all miserable.

[Thrif-t]

We were there last year Memorial Weekend thru the 3rd of June. Ugh, record highs! I'd of never thought it would be that hot, it was horrible. We don't deal well with the heat. Agree with everyone else TAKE BREAKS in the middle of the day!!

The meal plan is expensive, I wouldn't get it! When it first came out in the early 2000's it was wonderful, now not so much. You can go here and look at menu's to see where you think you'd like to eat; http://allears.net/dining/menu and see how much things cost. We usually eat at our condo or offsite, just depends on the day.

Since you're staying offsite 30 days before your arrival you will be able to get your fast passes. I'd recommend logging on to you MDE and picking out 3 per day to get you started. Remember once you tap into your 3rd attraction you can jump on the app and find another, rinse and repeat.

Have a good trip, keep

[moneybags]

I thought mine were big enough to enjoy and remember and I was always curious about the parents I would see with a baby or toddler in a stroller. Either mom or dad really liked Disney, because that child was never going to remember the trip.

I loved taking my kids to Disney when they were babies and toddlers, especially when they didn't need a ticket to get in. If I used the logic that they weren't going to remember it, I wouldn't bother to take them to the local zoo either.

[disneysteve]

If I used the logic that they weren't going to remember it, I wouldn't bother to take them to the local zoo either.

Great point. Most kids don't remember anything prior to about 5 years old but we certainly all do all sorts of activities with our kids prior to that age.

[TexasHusker]

Great point. Most kids don't remember anything prior to about 5 years old but we certainly all do all sorts of activities with our kids prior to that age.

Very interesting point! How much of anything do we remember as adults? I've taken my kids to WDW twice, and spent at least 7 days there. Do I have 7 days worth of memories? No. I can remember enough to day dream for about 60 seconds.

I worked for the same co. for 24 years, but I would be hard pressed to come up with 24 minutes of memories.

Isn't that odd?

[Like2Plan]

Sometimes memories need a little nudge. Quite often we talk about experiences we’ve had and one builds off another.

Take music. On some of our early visits we drove (before the days of DVDS in the car) and we played Disney Themed music like Disney Silly Songs, etc. Hearing the music brings back memories. Or, hearing the distinctive themed music of the parks. One time I made a call to my son (who was on travel) while I was at the Magic Kingdom. He knew exactly where I was.

Or, smells—from Main Street USA. (And, nowadays coffee smells from Starbucks)

That overall sense of well being as you walk towards the castle.
I never get tired of that.

The food. Lots of memorable snacks. (Mickey Bars)

[Gailete]

I remember my aunt taking us to Disneyland and forking over for all the expenses. The one and only time I ate in a Disney restaurant and I had the Monte Cristo sandwich and the memories of how good it tasted still haunt me because I've never been able to recreate it.

Perhaps my view of taking babies and toddlers to something like WDW is haunted by the trip I made when my boys were young. They weren't the problem, but my ex might as well have been another little one/toddler. He didn't help with anything on the trip. Didn't even drive a mile, didn't do any kid watching so I could catch a break, didn't put gas in the car, didn't help with luggage, didn't do _______ fill in the blank! It was awful! If two parents are working together to juggle child care needs it becomes a whole different story I am sure. But as far as the ex was concerned HE was on vacation and so he shouldn't have to do anything, of course forgetting that it was my vacation as well!

[Like2Plan]

Monte Cristo Sandwich? That sounds like the Blue Bayou (the restaurant that is inside the Pirates of the Carribean ride.). Pretty nice aunt!

[Gailete]

Monte Cristo Sandwich? That sounds like the Blue Bayou (the restaurant that is inside the Pirates of the Carribean ride.). Pretty nice aunt!

Oh yeah, nice aunt. She also bought me, and I assume the other kids, a new outfit to wear. My first pair of hip huggers! She was my dad's younger sister and was probably having some guilt feelings about what he had done to us as a family. I could never remember the name of the restaurant, but that was one yummy meal in my memory at least 50 years later! I loved the Pirates of the Carribean ride. Where I grew up in California they would have many special activities at a discount where the park would be open all night for big groups, like all the seniors on graduation night, and other things like that so I got to go a few times more than I normally would have.

Last time I was there I had graduated a week earlier out here than my friends in CA, so I was able to take a Greyhound to CA watch my friends graduate and then go to Disneyland with them. My friends had even chipped in for a yearbook for me, which left so much better memories than my actual graduation the week before! Also the last time I ever saw my father and as far as I know he is still alive. I can not conceive of ignoring my kids for 45+ years!

[Like2Plan]

I could never remember the name of the restaurant, but that was one yummy meal in my memory at least 50 years later!

They’ve made changes to the menu over the years, but the Monte Cristo is still on the lunch menu 50 years later!

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/disneyland/blue-bayou-restaurant/menus/lunch/

[greenskeeper]

just got back from a week at Disney

1) it will always be crowded....always. Maybe during a wash-out rainy day but the parks haven't gotten any bigger and there are more people traveling to Disney.

2) The new "fast pass" deal is ok, have to use 3 schedule passes before being allowed to search for additional passes.

3) did I mentioned it's crowded? Be prepared for long wait times (even with fast pass sometimes). Shortest wait was under 15 min (fast pass), longest was just under and hour (My limit is a 1 hour wait, if it's longer than that I don't even bother). Some rides were over 2 hour wait time.

4) We decided to not go with the dining plan. Still you need to factor at least a 3x price premium from what you are accustom to for meals.

TEX - I would spend the extra $$$ and get the VIP access so you don't have to wait around for a couple rides per day. I believe this is around $400-600/hr

[disneysteve]

4) We decided to not go with the dining plan. Still you need to factor at least a 3x price premium from what you are accustom to for meals.

I think that's a bit of an exaggeration, though we don't do much in the way of table service meals on property so that helps. Sticking to counter service, which is excellent at Disney, we usually get by for $10 each for lunch and $10 for dinner. We eat breakfast in our condo/house so that costs very little.

Snacks are pricey at Disney for what you get, but there are some things we really look forward to having so I don't mind paying for them.