We’ve traveled to Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL, twice in the past 5 years and each time I learn a little bit more about what makes- or breaks- a great trip. The first and biggest lesson we’ve been learning is dealing with extended family.
DON’T #1 – Don’t forget to plan family time ahead, so everyone is treated fairly.
My husband and I have two children, and a large extended family. For my grandfather’s (affectionately known as “Grumpy Dan”, i.e. Snow White) 95th birthday, he wanted to go to Disney World (again). Yes, I said that right- 95 years old, and he wanted a Disney Vacation for his birthday. I have a Disnerd heritage! To save money we shared a room with my aunt and Grumpy Dan. It was tight quarters, but we managed. What we didn’t manage was our time. Because we roomed with them, the other family members on the trip were very content letting my husband and I push our two children in the double stroller, as well as Grumpy Dan in his wheelchair for the majority of the trip. This caused some feelings of resentment and by the end of the trip there were several of us adopting the moniker “Grumpy”. Future group trips will be more thought out, and each family group will designate a time for “just us”!
DON’T #2 – Don’t forget to double check park hours!
On this same trip my sister, her then-boyfriend (now husband), my hubby, and our parents decided to do a “drinks around the world” at EPCOT. It was a slightly spur of the moment decision, my aunt had volunteered to babysit, so we grabbed the bus at 7:45pm and headed for the park. My sister told us “EPCOT’s open late tonight! Plenty of time…” It wasn’t. They closed earlier than normal. We had 45 minutes between disembarking the bus until park close, and only made it a (very rushed) halfway around. Which, while intoxicatingly fun, was not the best idea. Several blurry posed photos, loud laughter, and one set of lost-then-found rental car keys later, we were on our way back to the resort.
DON’T #3 – Don’t make a late evening reservation time at Be Our Guest!
This was something we had no way of knowing and had to learn the hard way. We arrived 20 minutes before our reservation and STILL ended up waiting for an hour and a half before we were seated. By the time we ate, the park was almost closed, nearly everyone was gone and both my kids were fast asleep as we left the restaurant. At least the grey stuff was delicious!
DON’T #4 – Don’t underestimate a child’s love of meeting characters!
Our kids were still quite small (1 & 3) so I assumed I could get away with just a couple character sightings and then we could move on to rides and other attractions. Nope. My DS was in hysterics because Buzz Lightyear had to take a break just as we were about to get in line, and we didn’t know how long his break would be. After that, DS was like a hawk on those character spots and we waited in a more than one very long line. Lesson learned: plan character meet & greets as part of the trip!
DON’T #5 – Don’t take EPCOT for granted!
My husband disagrees completely with me, but I think EPCOT is one of the best parks and very often we don’t plan enough time there. It’s a park that I like to take a slower pace, enjoy the shops and the World Showcase, see the shows and find the hidden treasures. But with small children, it is difficult. My suggestion is to plan the day with rides and fun breaks well spaced out, so you have time to see everything on your list without running through the countries to get to Soarin’ in time for your FastPass.
DON’T #6 – Don’t forget a change of clothes if you’re planning to ride Kali River Rapids
This ride is a LOT of fun, and I love the queue almost as much as the ride itself. However, we forgot something very important- on this ride, it is not a matter of “if” you will get wet, it is a matter of “how much” you will get wet! DH, DS, and I were SOAKED with no dry clothes to change into, including our walking shoes. We almost spent $60 on a pair of crocs for DH, but he decided to tough it out. BRING A CHANGE OF CLOTHES AND SHOES! Or at least wear clothing that will dry quickly- no denim! Wear flip flops on the ride, and change into regular walking shoes afterwards, otherwise you’ll be spending at least an hour in the bathrooms drying your clothes with the hand dryers…
DON’T #7 – Don’t plan on NOT going to Disney World.
This one should have been a no brainer for me. My youngest sister got married on Sanibel island in Florida last November. We put every penny we could into our trip, and I can honestly say that without Kristin’s blog, the C2D Facebook group, and all the wonderful support from them, we might not have been able to go. We managed to save several hundred dollars by flying into Orlando, staying at a resort there for a few nights, then driving down to Sanibel. We specifically decided that Disney was not in the cards for that trip and we weren’t going to even try to go. That is, until DH found out we had an extra day in Orlando with nothing planned. He surprised me the night before with tickets for Magic Kingdom, just us and the two kids. While we had a blast, I didn’t have my Disney Trip necessities! Our pin lanyards were in my bedroom in Illinois, along with the kid’s autograph book that I had made. My son reasoned that we could just go back another time and get more autographs later, though. I’ll take that.
We’ve also learned some great things to do on our trips- here are my favorite tips!
DO’S #1- Take breaks
Especially when going with small children, it’s so important for your mental health and theirs to take breaks. Plan them around times when you know you don’t have FastPasses and use the child care centers at each park! They offer a quiet place to regroup and get some peace. Plus for the babies, there are changing tables and Disney movies playing, and nursing rooms for breastfeeding moms.
DO’S #2 – Lost something? Ask guest services right away!
Lost items are picked up and delivered back to the service desk usually within an hour, so if you’ve lost something get in touch with a castmember right away and they can point you in the right direction. (Remember that EPCOT debaucle? We found this out the hard way…)
DO’S #3 – Save money on food by eating in your room
This is something we’ve done for years, and it never fails to save us money. We rarely do the dining plan, so our meal options can get pricey if we don’t plan ahead. On this latest planned trip, I saved up Target gift cards and brought my coupon binder, too! Things we buy: cereal and milk, banana/apple/clementines, bagels (toast them at the resort cafeteria!), shelf stable snacks, lunch meat and bread for sandwiches, snack size chips, etc. Make sure your room has at least a mini-fridge in it before you buy perishables, though! We eat breakfast in the room, pack a lunch for the parks, and eat dinner either in the park, outside the park, or at the resort.
DO’S #4 – Do Memory Maker if you can afford it
Memory Maker takes a lot of the stress out of taking pictures. No hunting for kind strangers who hopefully speak your language, everyone gets to be in the picture, and they are professional quality photos! We’ve done both, and I can say it’s really worth it knowing that you’ll end up with lots of professional looking photos from your vacation.
DO’S #5 – Let it go!
Vacations of any sort can be stressful- from the hassle of travel by car or plane, to managing timetables and making sure everyone gets to see what they want, the stress can add up. So take Elsa’s advice and let it go! Even when things don’t go as planned (Murphy’s law applies even on a Disney Vacation) take step back, find a quiet place to breathe, and remember why you’re here – to have FUN!
(Thanks Rebecca!)