You finally decide to take your children on that long awaited vacation to Disney World. But now what? There's so much information out there on the subject that it can feel overwhelming. Below are a few important tips that will get you well on your way to planning the perfect trip.
Stay in a Walt Disney World Resort
Disney World offers lodging accommodations in four price groupings to meet anyone's budgetary needs: Value Resorts, Moderate Resorts, Deluxe Resorts, and Disney Vacation Club Resorts. By staying on site, your Disney experience doesn't end when you leave the park.
The benefits include, but are not limited to:
- Free on-site transportation: With easy access to Disney buses, boats and monorails, your children will love traveling to the park just as much as the rides themselves. And if you ride the monorail, ask to sit in the captain’s seat.
- Extra Magic Hours: Walt Disney World Resort guests are entitled to exclusive access to the parks before or after regular operating hours. With young children, your best bet is to stick with the morning Extra Magic Hours since the evening hours begin after the park closes. With a jump start on the crowds, you can make your way around the whole park all before lunch. And if you’re traveling in the summer months, this is one of your best strategies for beating the heat.
- Complimentary airport transportation via Disney’s Magical Express: The ride to the resort from the airport can be filled with excited anticipation -- and those dreaded words, “Are we there yet?” When you’re on board the Magical Express, your Disney experience begins from the moment you step out of the airport. So, you and the children will be entertained the whole ride.
- Disney ambiance: From the staff to the décor to the gift shops and the food, you will feel submerged in the Disney experience everywhere you go. Even the hand towels are folded in the shape of Mickey!
Focus More Time on the Magic Kingdom
For young children, the Magic Kingdom really holds most of the… well, “magic.” While adults and older kids tend to gravitate more towards Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios or the water parks, the Magic Kingdom has the most to offer the little ones.
"A larger version of California's original Disneyland, its idealized mock-up of a prototypical Main Street USA spills into several themed areas (Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Mickey's Toontown Fair) stocked with tame rides and wandering Mickeys, Minnies, Goofys, and the odd Captain Hook," describes concierge.com in a review of the Magic Kingdom (retrieved on July 25, 2010).
That's not to say you should avoid the other Disney parks. There is fun to be had by all age groups at every Disney park. But generally speaking, those parks cater more to older children and adults.
Build in Time for a Nap
Children need more rest than adults -- in everyday life. Well, that rule is magnified at Disney World. A child's little body is not as equipped to handle the activity level and heat as well as that of an adult's.
Adding rest time to the agenda is easier than it sounds. Simply plan a morning jaunt to one of the parks, then perhaps another in the evening. That leaves plenty of time for rest in the middle of the day. And don’t be afraid to follow their lead and sneak in a little cat nap yourself. In a couple of hours, you’ll all be refreshed and ready to go for round two!
The Park Hopper is the Way to Go
The Park Hopper provides unlimited access to any of the four Disney World Resort parks. Here's how it works: Pay for the Park Hopper up-front, then go on as many rides as you want, as many times as you want in as many parks as you want, on any given day.
Young children are unpredictable. One minute, they’re gung ho and the next they’re melting down. With the flexibility of the Park Hopper, you can leave the park in a moment’s notice, comforted in the knowledge that you are not losing any money and you can return or try another park later that day or another day.
Eat Before you Get to the Park
The Walt Disney World theme parks are known for many things. The food is not one of them. You will typically find a wide variety of fast food in the parks and not much else. This excludes the obvious lunch at Cinderella's Castle and Epcot's World Showcase. Otherwise, if you’re looking for a nice meal, have it before you leave for the park.
When you face the park on a full tummy, you and the children will have the energy to maximize your visit. Not to mention, the last thing they'll want to do once they get there is eat.
Schedule Dining With the Disney Characters
Nothing is more exciting to young children than meeting their favorite Disney character. And while you will see them throughout the parks, you will likely be faced with long lines in the blazing sun. One way to guarantee your little ones meet their hero in person is to schedule a dining engagement with the characters -- breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Character dining is offered by many of the Disney Resorts. Do your research to find out which ones feature the characters your children are most interested in. The characters will make their way around to all the tables, sign autographs and pose for photos.
A vacation in Disney World can be an amazing experience, but one potentially packed with frustration and confusion if not planned properly. By starting off the trip with a few basic pointers, the rest will fall into place.
Stephanie Young - I am a freelance writer with 15+ years of communications experience. I am also the mother of two who, like most people, has lived through ...
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