Top 10 Tips for Parents of Little Ones at Disney
1)
Make Character Dining Reservations! (And invest
in a meal plan that includes character dining! Also, be ready to book online at
6 a.m. exactly 180 days before the first day of your trip to get character
dining!) Waiting to have your picture taken in the parks can be a 45-80 minute
wait. Have you ever tried to tell a 4-year old that they have to wait that long
to meet their favorite Disney character? With character dining the characters
walk around and come to you with no wait! We tried 4 of them and highly recommend
Stitch & Friends at Ohana and Chip & Dale at the Harvest Grille. We
liked them best because it was family style dining and not a buffet… which
leads me to tip #2…
2)
Avoid buffets. They have long lines and by the
time you get your kids through and go back for yourself you have wasted a lot
of time.
3)
Take a long nap in the afternoon. The parks are
least crowded at opening and late at night. Late at night (after 11 p.m.) there
are no waits on even the most popular attractions, even at times when Disney is
crowded! We walked right onto some of the biggest rides with no wait, such as
the Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, and the Jungle Cruise.
4)
Utilize and understand the fast pass system. We
didn’t wait more than 20 minutes for anything! One of us would run at opening
to the biggest attraction, while the other went to get in line for a smaller
attraction. Also, carefully watch the next time you are eligible for a fast
pass and be ready to snatch it up immediately.
5)
There is no such thing as packing too many socks
(but there is such a thing as packing too much other “stuff”). By the end of
the week I wish we had more socks, but less outfits!
6)
Don’t leave immediately after a night time
fireworks show (which there shows at Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Magic Kingdom).
Jump on a few rides, enjoy an ice cream, etc. Why wait in line for buses and
elbow your way through crowds?
7)
Other than the “obvious” items (sunblock, hand
sanitizer, extra clothes for little ones), pack: Brita water bottles with filters.
The water in Florida has high sulfur content. You don’t want to be buying
several water bottles a day at $3.50 a piece and this makes the water taste
just fine.
8)
Wearing matching shirts with your party is not
only “cute” and “fun,” but also makes it easy to spot and find each other.
Might I suggest “Sweet Peas Britches and Bloomers?” (You can find them on
facebook)
9)
Gift cards made life so much easier. For
Christmas, Easter, and birthdays when people asked what to get us or the kids
we suggested Disney gift cards! The boys were able to get plenty of souvenirs
and special snacks without us wincing at the cost. Thank you if you were one of
these people! J
10)
Buy your ponchos in Disney. Yes they are
outrageously priced (like $7 or $8) BUT it’s a little known fact that if you
save your receipt and your child rips/destroys their poncho, they will replace
it with no questions asked countless times during your visit. Blake liked to
pull on his and this saved us money in the long run! Also, tough it out when it
rains because many people will leave!
Bonus Tip: Do your research. There
is no such thing as being over planned. I HIGHLY recommend “The Unofficial
Guide to Disney” to book. I loved it so much I carried it with me. From tips
like the ones above, to touring plans that give you the most bang for your
buck, to explanations of rides and restaurants it was so helpful! Disney can be
a nightmare (waiting in lines, wasting time) if you don’t play the game! Also,
asking friends who had been what they wish they would have known before going
revealed some awesome ideas! If you have some tips or things you wish you would have known, PLEASE comment below! I am by far no expert compared to some people I know!
Can't wait to go back in 2015!
