The first time we went to WDW, I was stressed out. Then
“someone” made a return to WDW his single request upon receiving tenure. SOOOO
back we went. But this time, we made much better choices and I fell in love
(with WDW, and with “someone” again ;)). In hopes of saving you from learning
the hard way, here are some things we have found helpful.
First, here are my posts with tips from past trips:
Disney Debrief (May 2010)
And the things that jumped out at me this time in
the order we needed them…
When – Do yourself a favor and go during
off-peak times.
It’s the one real advantage you have over all those folks with school-age kids.
And with limited time between naps, you don’t want to spend it in line. You'll also save money on the hotel.
Where – We splurge to stay on-property to minimize transit time and maximize the magic (corny, true). My priorities are:
1.
Access to theme parks by walking or monorail (vs. bus or car) because they are much
faster and easier with a stroller and when you need to go back to the room
during the day.
2.
One-bedroom
so we actually sleep and not all starting at 7pm, and
3.
Kitchen facilities (and best-case a washer/dryer). Thus our favorites are villas next
to parks (i.e. Bay Lake and Boardwalk). The 1-bedrooms come standard with a
full kitchen, pack-n-play, highchair, access to toilet from every room (without
walking through bedroom) and even a nightlight. We save by only staying there
on the nights we can make the most of it (i.e. this time we stayed at an
airport hotel the night we arrived at 10pm and the night before we left on a
7am flight).
How Long – WDW is really designed for a week-long
visit. The 4
th day is $10 more and the 5th and 6th days were free
with our resort package. Plus the park-hopper feature is a flat rate (an easy choice amortized over 6 days). Most
notably, if you have plenty of time to explore, you won't run yourself ragged.
You can take naps, pool breaks, revisit parks, go on a date, and relax a
little! I promise if you try to squeeze it all in a couple days, you'll likely
feel overwhelmed, overstimulated, exhausted, and price-gouged.
Your Homework – As soon as you book your resort,
make reservations for dinners, character meals, and fastpasses (all through the
Disney app) to avoid long lines. For the most popular events, reserve 180 days
before your arrival.
 |
Tony's Town Square - our favorite
restaurant in the Magic Kingdom |
Their Homework – This is so simple and FUN, and we’ve found it makes a big
difference. We spend the couple months before our trip watching/reading through
the classic Disney stories, just to make sure we can all catch the hints
of story infused throughout the gardens, decor, rides, etc. A plant-sculpted
Belle means a lot more to a kid if he’s seen the movie. And Tony's Town Square
Italian restaurant is a joy IF you've read Lady and the Tramp. One
reason my boys love all the attractions is because they already know and love
their contexts.
Know Thyself – This is where I contradict all of
the above. ;) There are countless ways to "do Disney." I have friends
who use touring plans to plot out every move and maximize efficiency. I know
others who go for one day on any given trip to FL because that's their maximum
dose. We like to have a general plan set up with flexibility on the specifics
and a slow pace. Take the time and license to tailor your WDW plans to fit the kind of
vacationers you are. You won’t regret doing a little extra prep to make it
fit your needs. The times I have felt the most stress it was usually because
I felt like I "should" be doing it the way someone else does.
Ok, a final few specifics:
 |
Us in "France" + Them in our hotel room = A Night Off.
Once I got over the sticker shock and spent the evening
kid-free in Epcot, I became a believer. #happy anniversary
#16years www.kidsniteout.com |
Date Night – We used
www.kidsniteout.com for the first time
this trip, and it was LOVELY. EXPENSIVE ($25/hr for 3 kids) but so worthwhile.
If you have room in your budget for a big splurge, or you can give this to each
other for your anniversary (hint hint), go for it. Our sitter was a perky
20-something who brought puzzles and toys and fed the boys and put them to bed
and texted me with updates. Meanwhile, we cruised the World Showcase and
Boardwalk like newlyweds.
Phone Backup Charger – This time we depended
entirely on the Disney iphone app (vs. books) while we were in WDW, using it to
check park hours, ride wait times, change fastpasses, add plans, adjust dining,
etc. We had it or our cameras open so much that they drained our phone
batteries by late afternoon. Thankfully, we had a back-up wireless charger with
us that carried us both through the rest of each day. We also switched to
“Airplane Mode” when we weren’t using them. AND since women’s clothes never
have pockets, I kept mine in my armband that protected it during fast/wet
rides.
 |
To be with this man at his happiest place on earth, on his
birthday, and to know the kid inside him. This is goodness.
Even with the blowout (not his). |
Celebration Buttons – If you’re visiting WDW over a
personal holiday (birthday, anniversary, mothers’ day – or all 3 like us this
time), they give you a button to wear on your special day. WEAR IT. It is
cheesy and contrived, but when you wear the button, every employee you
encounter will comment on it: “Are they treating you well this Mothers’ Day!”
“Have a happy Birthday, Joshua!” “Happy Anniversary! How many years?” Housekeeping.
The stroller attendant. The fast food server. It is remarkable. And when you
hear that all day long, it starts to feel like a really. special. day.
Sorcerer’s Scavenger Hunt – The Magic Kingdom has a
new-to-us program that allows kids to seek-and-find special points of interest
throughout the park. It was perfect for our almost-8-yr-old who loves Pokemon
cards and is not big on character meet-and-greets. You sign up next to City
Hall near the entrance to the MK.
Car – We had a car this time because we were
transferring between non-Disney hotels, but that’s about the only time we used
it. The Boardwalk has a general store that sells basic groceries, so we used
that to buy bread, milk, eggs, cereal, etc. The Contemporary had that too. (I’m
not sure about other resorts.) And it was faster to walk or monorail to the
parks than drive. Driving our car or taking the bus to MK were each > 45min
door-to-door.
Boardwalk – We LOVED it. We could walk to Epcot’s World Showcase (5min)
and walk to Hollywood Studios (12min) or take the monorail from Epcot to MK. We
also loved the stores, restaurants, and entertainers along the Boardwalk
itself. We had a newly-renovated villa (same layout as pre-reno). Isaac stayed
in the bedroom closet, Noah and Aaron in the bedroom, and Josh and I on the
pullout in the family room. We had a full kitchen so I made eggs, etc in the
mornings, packed lunches, and stored leftovers there. I also did laundry most
days because we were so sunscreened and sweaty. We still love Bay Lake if you
can get it for less than a mint, but if Boardwalk stays cheaper, I’d stay there
again in a heartbeat. Maybe
by renting from the DVC.
 |
| Our 1-bedroom villa with full kitchen, separated bathroom (shower/sink/toilet in one, bath/sink in other), king bed, queen bed, pack-n-play, high chair, balcony, and night light. I've heard the studios don't have the washer/dryer or stove/oven. |
Attire - This trip was the first time I deliberately bought clothes, hats, and sunglasses for our trip. I wanted hats/sunglasses that my unreasonable children would actually wear all week (and all summer, for that matter), and I thought it would be easier to stay together and find each other in crowds if we wore similar shirts (got them for $2-6/each at Walmart and Kohls). The hats/sunglasses did help save us from the FL sun (without the usual parent-child negotiations) and the shirts also inspired some extra excitement and bonding. NEITHER is necessary if you're already overwhelmed, but they were a fun/useful addition this time.
I'll add tips here if I think of them later. In the meantime, on to the fun stuff! Pics coming soon...
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