non bpi-related

[Beth]

Going to Disney World with 5yearold, 3yearold, and 20,month old. Any tips, advice and suggestions appreciated. Thanks
Beth

[francine]

advice? sure you don't want to wait til they are a little older? lol lol lol can't even imagine going there with 3 little ones!

I think my advice to you would be to go when they are the LEAST busy...and oh this is a scary thought and I don't think I would ever have thought I'd be saying the next sentence but with three wee ones.....I'd have those kiddie 'leashes' with me. When it's crowded there, it's really easy to get lost. (yikes - did I say that?)

I think the absolute BEST way to see the characters is to sign up for a character breakfast. You get private time - they come to your table and tickle all the kids and your kids can get an autograph.... no waiting in the heat in line to see mickey and minnie (which by the way, the shortest line was at the new animal kingdom).

We went there with Maia in August after the Melbourne picnic and basically we saw a couple of movies/shows, we rode on the trolley,monorail,boat,train and we waited in lines to see Mickey/Minnie. We went on a couple of the least invasive rides... buzz lightyear and pirates of the caribean and the haunted house.

Bring 3 washcloths with you so you can wet your kids down or put a cool towel on their foreheads if they get too hot.

Oh yes - here's a biggie.... BUY YOUR WATER AT THE FOOD STORE IN BULK!! at disney it was something MAJORLY EXPENSIVE!!!

well maybe I'll think up more later.....

-francine

[admin]

Thanks francine, keep em coming. There will be 3 adults and 3 children so at least we won't be outnumbered(ha ha). Anyone else have any good tips?
Thanks, Beth

[Georgeann P]

Oh, how we all LOVE Disney World!!!!!!! When are you going? If you are going soon say Feb. or March it won't be that crowed or hot!!!! About seeing the Characters, don't miss going to the Crystal Palace at the Magic Kingdom. They have the Pooh and friends that come to the table while you are eating so you can visit with them. Don't worry about being missed because they make sure you are not! Plus the food is the best food I have ever and I mean ever had at a buffet!!!!!!Kind of pricey but what isn't? That is always our first stop when we go to WDW. One more tip, take lots and lots of video of the kids doing thing and seeing characters. Our older kids were 5 and 3 when we went and they may not remember everything but boy do they love to watch the videos! Some people may say wait until their older but I say go while they are little and YOU will always remember the magic on their faces, especially while watching parades, video tape their faces while they watch. Don't forget to ask a "cast" member to take a family photo. Don't try to rush around to fit everything in because it is impossible, there is just too much to see and do. Just relax and enjoy yourselves. Don't forget to take or rent a double stroller, it is easier than carring a tired child. Unfortunately we haven't been able to get there since our son was born because of our trips to Texas for surgery. We will get there someday, soon we hope!

[francine]

ok here's another idea - when we were there we saw LOTS of people talking on 2 way radios...they are the ones that look like cell phones....

well what a neat idea I thought....

Let's say you have to settle down and just sit tight with the baby for a while while the boys go and play? you guys could keep track of each other like this.

And the other thing I wanted to tell you is that if you haven't seen their 3d movies - you gotta see them! They are great. This time we saw the one in the Animal Kingdom - It's a Bug's Life....it was the BEST! (well it was the best because that's the movie maia was 'into' right at that time!)

[njbirk]

My husband and I went to Disney for a week with our son and daughter in law and grandson. What we did each day was that my husband and I would take a break in the afternoon and return to the hotel with our grandson so he could nap and we could relax, have a swim, whatever, while our son and daughter in law could then enjoy some time alone together doing the adult rides. We would then return, sometimes with dinner in hand (much cheaper to bring it in). It worked out wonderfully. So my suggestion would be to bring the grandparents along!

Nancy

[Carole]

We LOVE Disney. We go most every year and we are going twice this year. Once at the end of this month and again at the end of April thanks to a generous Grandma!
This will be my Meghan's 11th trip and she is only 10. Kailtyn (RBPI)went when she turned 1 and now is just 2. I have brought my kids when they were 5 month, 12 months, 16 months, and 18 months so don't listen to Francine LOL. Babies are awesome at Disney- better than 2 years olds really and the magical memories will be unbelievable. Now for tips I have many, many but most of them came from several awesome web sites.(Which is where I have been lately LOL) Most important do your planning and research. February's
family fun magazine has a great article. These sites have awesome info- check out the message boards along the sides. WWW.wdwinfo.com WWW.wdwig.com WWW.mousesavers.com WWW.passporter.com When are you going?? If you have booked your trip you can still amend the plans with discount codes listed on mousesavers we got rooms for only 94. at Port Orleans Riverside a moderate hotel. Stay on site using codes if you can the buses are great and you can go back to nap. Book your priority seating ahead of time and be sure to book a character meal. Kim Whiley write a book Disney with Kids that is awesome also. Anyway can you tell I am a Disney nut. If you have more ?? please post them and I will try to help.

[francine]

Carole - those are awesome websites! And I have to tell you that I TOO love Disney but Lou hates it! What a drudgery it is to go there with someone who's not into it! I don't think you can guess how many times I've been there..it's a lot! But when we went with Maia it was the most crowded I have ever seen in all the 16 other times I had been there! and the heat and I was ill and she was screaming and had major eczema and it was HORRIBLE!!! hehehehehehehe I guess I just can't imagine having that experience with three kids....but then again my current opinion was based on my last visit...I hope I never experience it like that again EVER!!! LOL LOL DON'T GO IN AUGUST FOLKS!!! We usually went in October and it was really nice then.

Beth - I hope you guys just have a great time and honestly the best hint is that of the water prices... water from the fountains there taste REALLY bad...like pure sulphur..ugh... (actually when we were at Sea World we thought that the fountain water was pumped in from the fish pools that's how bad it was!)...and go check out those 3D movies cuz they really are great!

hehehe
-francine

[Tessie258]

I'm 38(almost 39) and I've never been to disneyland or world!!! Haha
My friend went recently and they bought neon green t-shirts and ironed on a cute design....they could find each other easily in a crowd.
That's all the advice I have. Maybe I'll go someday but the whole crowd thing doesn't appeal to me(I'm with Lou!)
T.

[marymom]

have a great time- Im not a disney fan but been there done that- with little guys
get lots of rest, what makes the difference for me when the munchkins are all in tow is HOW I do things, lots of fun, slowly, no rushing, its not what you see but how you see it- if you know what I mean,
youll have a BLAST!
dont forget film-