Last Minute First Time "Girls Only" Trip to WDW

[amyff]

My girls (ages 4 and 6) and I are thinking of taking a last minute trip (mid oct) to WDW without baby brother and daddy. We have gone on a Disney Cruise but we have never been to the resorts. They are both not very adventurous (not thrill seekers) with rides or water parks (will not go down slides) but they love learning and the more "preschool centered" activities and learning opportunities. We have the ability to go to either Disneyland or WDW and I am leaning towards WDW as it seems like there are so many options and choices.

So...I am wondering for a Mom traveling alone with two little ones...where should we stay? I don't want to rent a car...thinking of going for 5-6 days (we live in MT so it is about an 8 hour trip)... A friend reccomended that we look into CBR or WL as the girls love to swim and play in the water. Any other suggestions...we are pretty flexible and there are some good hotel deals out there.

I am thinking I need a double stroller as they are not used to the heat and that I could probably skip the park hopper pass. What about the dining plan...we just missed the free one by a day...but the girls are adventurous eaters and we love trying new foods and dining out.

Also...is this even a good idea...I am thinking some rides will be out as we have three together but will it be a problem?

Thanks...this is so much infor to cram into my brain in such a short amount of time. My friend is dropping off the Passporter this afternoon.

[clc053103]

I think you could totally do this- but is there another adult who might go with you, like your mom? that way, if your 6 year old wants to go on a ride that your 4 year old is not big enough for or interested in, you would have another adult with you. I travel this way annually(me, sis, mom, my son, 2 nephews) and the 1:1 ratio of adult to child is fantastic....haven't lost one yet ;-) But even if it's just the 3 of you, you just may have to skip a few things, there's still lots of rides that will accomodate 3 riders, even if in two separate seats in teh same car.
As for where to stay- sounds like your girls might enjoy a place like Epcot (less thrill rides, more shows and things to explore, Kidcot stops, etc. ) So an Epcot - area resort would be great, you can push the kids right out of epcot (or onto a boat) without transferring out of a stroller. Beach Club has a great pool- stormalong bay - if you think they would enjoy the pool. If you think maybe they would like the attractions of MK more, I would go with WL or a monorail hotel. We stayed at BLT at Contemporary resort and we got a lot of use out of the walking path to MK and the monorail.
Agree no need to rent a car, take Magical Express to the hotel and then use Disney transportation. I would BYO stroller only because if your kids are not used to the heat they may need help leaving hte parks, and the strollers there can't leave the parks.
As for where to eat, you may find table service options very limited at this late a date but it can't hurt to try calling the dining line or going on line to see what's available. They may enjoy dining in some of the restaurants at Epcot to try the food of different countries. It may be a long shot for ADR's, but 'Ohana at the poly is a really neat dining experience for kids and the food was really good, IMO! When I was there last month, despite no ADR's being available I found many restaurants where 1/2 full and taking walk ups, seems the new ADR system is not working out too well!
I hope I gave some input that can be helpful to you- there's lots of Disney fans around here that will certainly provide even more helpful info for you!!!

[bubbaray]

I could possibly do DL with 2 children those ages, assuming I stayed on site. DL is much smaller than WDW and when you stay onsite, you're right there, KWIM? Frankly, I think for a short trip with just one adult, I'd take DL over WDW all other things being equal. Of course, if you have been many times and know the drill, then WDW won't seem as intimidating.

[egoldber]

I would totally do an all girls week. :) Sometimes it's just simply easier without DH in tow. :tongue5:

I would highly consider an Epcot area resort. The convenience of being able to walk to two different parks is HUGE. Plus there are so many restaurants in the area (between Epcot and all the Epcot area resorts).

[Momof3Labs]

I'm pretty certain that you can sit 3 together on all the rides without height restrictions.

ITA that Epcot will be a great park to spend a lot of time at, and an Epcot resort would be a wonderful choice.

Food-wise, think about whether you will be okay going to a buffet with the girls. Will the logistics be complicated getting three plates of food from across a busy restaurant with them (and your valuables) in tow? Will it be easier to eat sit-down meals with waiters bringing the food to you? Or would you prefer table service where you get your food on a tray and take it to a table yourself?

[billysmommy]

That would be so much fun!!!!

The only issue I can see would be if there was something your 6 year old dd wanted to go on that your 4 year old wasn't tall enough for.

DH tolerates WDW and does have fun once he's there but the boys and I absolutely love it. Ds1 and I are just waiting for ds2 to grow 2 inches and then the boys and I will be heading down a little more often :)

Beth has a great point also in picking an Epcot area hotel, it's so easy to get to both Epcot and DHS and then to be able to just walk back when the park closes instead of waiting in line for the buses.