WDW.....talk me down please!

[MamaSnoo]

DH is going to be in Orlando for a work trip later this month. We decided somewhat last minute to all go down together for a short trip. We will be there for 2 full days and a morning.

I have not been to WDW in 25 years. I have no clue.

We are staying at the contemporary. That was the best thing for DH's work situation.

We have park hopper passes for each of the first 2 days. I thought we would go to the MK the first day, and then AK the second day in the am. Then likely back to MK in the evening after nap. The third morning, we have reservations for Chez Mickey's for brunch. There will be enough time for that, but we will have to go to the airport afterwards.

DH arranged some kind of shuttle for to and fro with the airport.

Other than that, nothing is planned, and no other reservations are made. I know lots of people plan WDW out months in advance and schedule lots of stuff. We do not really have time to do that much planning at this point. So, I am freaking out a little...although I tend to freak out a little anytime we go somewhere new with DD. It is hard with a little one if you do not know the lay of the land. So, if you are still with me, I have some specific questions:

1. Do I need to try to book more specific activities or do you think we will be ok just walking around and doing what looks fun to DD? She has seen some Disney stuff, but not tons of it, so there are no characters that are must-sees for her. I think she will like the rides.

2. Should we bring our stroller (BJCM) from home on the plane or plan to rent there for 2 days? Or will we need one at all...DD is 3, but I will be pushing 25 weeks and cannot carry her all over if she is tired.

3. We only have the 1 meal reservation. Is that ok? Will we be able to find stuff to eat at meal times? I do not care too much about sitting down in a nice restaurant. I just want it to be fairly easy. I can stuff some snacks like goldfish and apples in my suitcase, but I am assuming that we will not be able to get to a grocery...

4. We will not have a car. Sometimes DH will be with us, sometimes he will be working...this will be ok, right?

5. Photopass? Can someone please explain what it is and how it works? Is it worth it for 2 days in the parks?

6. Are the crowds going to be crazy or will it be ok?

7. Are we crazy to do this without more planning?

I think that is all for now. I am super-grateful in advance for the wisdom of you experienced Disney moms (and anyone who read this far)!

[cckwmh]

DH is going to be in Orlando for a work trip later this month. We decided somewhat last minute to all go down together for a short trip. We will be there for 2 full days and a morning.

I have not been to WDW in 25 years. I have no clue.

We are staying at the contemporary. That was the best thing for DH's work situation.

We have park hopper passes for each of the first 2 days. I thought we would go to the MK the first day, and then AK the second day in the am. Then likely back to MK in the evening after nap. The third morning, we have reservations for Chez Mickey's for brunch. There will be enough time for that, but we will have to go to the airport afterwards.

DH arranged some kind of shuttle for to and fro with the airport.

Other than that, nothing is planned, and no other reservations are made. I know lots of people plan WDW out months in advance and schedule lots of stuff. We do not really have time to do that much planning at this point. So, I am freaking out a little...although I tend to freak out a little anytime we go somewhere new with DD. It is hard with a little one if you do not know the lay of the land. So, if you are still with me, I have some specific questions:

1. Do I need to try to book more specific activities or do you think we will be ok just walking around and doing what looks fun to DD? She has seen some Disney stuff, but not tons of it, so there are no characters that are must-sees for her. I think she will like the rides.

2. Should we bring our stroller (BJCM) from home on the plane or plan to rent there for 2 days? Or will we need one at all...DD is 3, but I will be pushing 25 weeks and cannot carry her all over if she is tired.

3. We only have the 1 meal reservation. Is that ok? Will we be able to find stuff to eat at meal times? I do not care too much about sitting down in a nice restaurant. I just want it to be fairly easy. I can stuff some snacks like goldfish and apples in my suitcase, but I am assuming that we will not be able to get to a grocery...

4. We will not have a car. Sometimes DH will be with us, sometimes he will be working...this will be ok, right?

5. Photopass? Can someone please explain what it is and how it works? Is it worth it for 2 days in the parks?

6. Are the crowds going to be crazy or will it be ok?

7. Are we crazy to do this without more planning?

I think that is all for now. I am super-grateful in advance for the wisdom of you experienced Disney moms (and anyone who read this far)!

1. you will be fine - especially for 2 days. i wouldn't spend time on booked activities for such a short trip.

2. stroller is a must. we rented from magic stroller rental, but there are other companies. it was great because we had it at the hotel when we arrived and could take it to and from the parks. I would not rent a WDW stroller because they are for in park use only and the last thing you want at the end of a long day is to carry a tired kid.

3. you should be fine with counter service options. the sit down meals take a long time, IMO. at peak meal hours the lines are longer (noon, for example) so we tried to do conter service either earlier or later and just packed lots of snacks.

4. you don't need a car. you can walk or take the monorail from the comtemporary to MK and take the bus to AK.

5. we did photopass for our last trip. basically it is a cd with every picture the wdw photographers take of you in the time you are there. wdid it because there were 11 of us on the trip and we split the cost. i don't think i would do it for a short trip.

6. there are crowd calendars available online - but late january is usually a "slow" time for WDW.

7. i would love to do a trip without the plaining and just wing it!!!

[hellokitty]

I'm so jealous! We just went to WDW a couple wks ago and loved it!

Here's some answers to your questions...

1. Do I need to try to book more specific activities or do you think we will be ok just walking around and doing what looks fun to DD? She has seen some Disney stuff, but not tons of it, so there are no characters that are must-sees for her. I think she will like the rides.

No, there are tons of things to see and do, you don't need to book anything extra. If you think she likes characters, you can get her an autograph book. My kids were interested in pin trading, but I wasn't prepared for it. I'm hoping to go again in a few yrs again and will definitely get my kids some pins for pin trading, since they thought it was really cool.

2. Should we bring our stroller (BJCM) from home on the plane or plan to rent there for 2 days? Or will we need one at all...DD is 3, but I will be pushing 25 weeks and cannot carry her all over if she is tired.

I would just bring your own stroller. The BJCM is actually the main stroller that is rented out by one of the stroller rental companies. Make sure you label yours well, so nobody gets it mixed up with yours.

3. We only have the 1 meal reservation. Is that ok? Will we be able to find stuff to eat at meal times? I do not care too much about sitting down in a nice restaurant. I just want it to be fairly easy. I can stuff some snacks like goldfish and apples in my suitcase, but I am assuming that we will not be able to get to a grocery...

There are plenty of good counter service places to eat at, I think one meal ressie is enough for your 2 day trip. I really like Columbia Harbor House in MK and we ate at Flame Tree BBQ at AK, but I heard that all of the AK places are very good. I actually prefer the counter service to the table service, it was quicker and the food was decent.

4. We will not have a car. Sometimes DH will be with us, sometimes he will be working...this will be ok, right?

No car needed, esp from the contemporary! In fact, you would qualify for magical express from the airport to WDW, so your DH didn't even have to arrange a shuttle on his own, unless that is what he meant by, "shuttle."

5. Photopass? Can someone please explain what it is and how it works? Is it worth it for 2 days in the parks?

I do not thing photopass is worth it for only 2 days. It is pretty expensive. Unless you can get in on a photopass share. I did a photopass share this time and I'm glad I did it as a share, b/c we did not utilize photopass as much as we could have, so full price would have been a total rip off.
6. Are the crowds going to be crazy or will it be ok?

7. Are we crazy to do this without more planning?

You are going to be going during low season, so I don't think you need to do a lot of heavy planning. If you have an iphone or droid, I highly recommend the, "lines" app. It tells you how long the wait is on all of the rides. It was a wonderful resrouce. They have a paid version for more touring guides and apps, which I found helpful to figure out which attractions would suit our famil best. Esp if it is has been so long, WDW has changed a lot, it would be a really good resource for you. www.tourplans.com is the site that offers the app and subscription. They are VERY up to date, do NOT do tour guide mike's website, it is awful, he hasn't updated it in yrs. I really think that for your two day trip, only hitting AK and MK, you will be fine kind of winging it. Your dd is 3, she is still pretty young, there is so much to do and see, she will be plenty occupied!

Have fun on your trip! Make sure you bring really comfy shoes, and layer, since the weather in the winter can be all over the place.

[fivi2]

Sounds like fun!

1. Not sure which activities you would book. I think just touring the parks will be plenty. I am a planner, so I would spend time on the wdw park maps (online) and the disboards to get an idea of what you want to try to do at each park. (of course, some kids end up hating certain things so you have to change all plans. Our first trip mine hated dark rides). You will want to get an idea of scare factors if that is an issue - a ride that looks cute from the outside may terrify many kids and you wouldn't know that if you didn't research.

2. You will need a stroller. Whether it is easier to pack or rent, I don't know, but you will need a stroller.

3. You could have some groceries delivered, but for a short trip I wouldn't. You will be able to find food at counter service restaurants and at your hotel. You will be on the monorail so can easily get to a few other hotels. Depending on when in January you are there (ie other than MLK weekend) you should be able to get some table service adrs, if you want. But they aren't necessary.

4. From the Contemporary, you can walk to MK (or take monorail, not sure if there is a bus to MK), you can take monorail to the poly and grand Floridian (hotels), a boat to Fort Wilderness (hotel/campground) and I think the MK (?), and the monorail to epcot (changing trains) and buses to the parks. Basically you are in a great location as far as transportation goes!

5. photopass - the photographers will hand you a card (just ask the first one who takes your pic) and then you will hand that card to any other photographer. (like at the character meet spots, or certain photo op spots in the park). All the pics the photographers take will be magically connected to your card. when you get home you go to the website, type in the number on your card (this is like a credit card) and it will pull up the pics that all the photographers took. (and occasionally pics of random strangers that somehow got on your card ). You can then order them for a ridiculously high price. I believe there is a way to order something in advance which makes it cheaper, but I haven't done that.

6. When in January? Usually late January is very slow. I believe egoldber likes to go then. If it is a holiday weekend, that will increase crowds a bit.

7. Sounds like a fun trip!

[erosenst]

(No one had replied when I started typing; several had by the time I was done - sorry if there are duplicate answers here...)

I'll give you my opinion - but am sure you'll get others, some conflicting. No matter what, remember you're there for vacation, and it will be fun .


We are staying at the contemporary. That was the best thing for DH's work situation. Personally, I think this is the best location. VERY easy to get to MK from there.

We have park hopper passes for each of the first 2 days. I thought we would go to the MK the first day, and then AK the second day in the am. Then likely back to MK in the evening after nap. The third morning, we have reservations for Chez Mickey's for brunch. There will be enough time for that, but we will have to go to the airport afterwards. Sounds great. If you don't have tix yet, and money is a constraint, I would argue you don't even need the park hoppers. Chef Mickey's is fun, food isn't bad...and couldn't be more convenient.

DH arranged some kind of shuttle for to and fro with the airport. Guessing he did Magical Express. It's really convenient/well run.

Other than that, nothing is planned, and no other reservations are made. I know lots of people plan WDW out months in advance and schedule lots of stuff. We do not really have time to do that much planning at this point. So, I am freaking out a little...although I tend to freak out a little anytime we go somewhere new with DD. It is hard with a little one if you do not know the lay of the land. So, if you are still with me, I have some specific questions:

1. Do I need to try to book more specific activities or do you think we will be ok just walking around and doing what looks fun to DD? She has seen some Disney stuff, but not tons of it, so there are no characters that are must-sees for her. I think she will like the rides. The *only* thing I would consider booking are more meal reservations. It can be very difficult to get 'sitdown' meals without one...and you can always cancel. If she likes Pooh and friends, consider Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom. It's a buffet, food isn't bad, and characters are cute. The Tusker House buffet at AK is also a character one (Mickey and friends in safari gear).

2. Should we bring our stroller (BJCM) from home on the plane or plan to rent there for 2 days? Or will we need one at all...DD is 3, but I will be pushing 25 weeks and cannot carry her all over if she is tired. You will *definitely* want a stroller. I'd bring it, so you can use in the airports - for stuff, if not DD. We've rented BJCM's at WDW - it's the perfect stroller. Only suggestion is to tie something on it so you can tell yours from all the other ones.

3. We only have the 1 meal reservation. Is that ok? Will we be able to find stuff to eat at meal times? I do not care too much about sitting down in a nice restaurant. I just want it to be fairly easy. I can stuff some snacks like goldfish and apples in my suitcase, but I am assuming that we will not be able to get to a grocery... See above about reservations. You won't be able to get to grocery, but the quick service restaurant at the Contemporary has a lot of 'easy' foods - fruit, cereals, yogurt, etc. You can always eat there too - burgers, etc.

4. We will not have a car. Sometimes DH will be with us, sometimes he will be working...this will be ok, right? It will be ok; however, AK is a little bit of a pain. (There are buses, but somewhat irregular timing and make a few stops) Having said that - easy to get on and off with a stroller, totally safe, etc.

5. Photopass? Can someone please explain what it is and how it works? Is it worth it for 2 days in the parks? I'm not a photopass fan; some love it. You're issued a 'smart card' - and photographers throughout the parks will take your pics and they will all be available in one place. I *think* the photographers used to be more plentiful in the past, so it was more popular in the past. Having said that - if you see a photographer in a great spot, they can give you the card on the spot - so you're not locked into NOT doing it if you change your mind.

6. Are the crowds going to be crazy or will it be ok? Assuming not MLK weekend, likely relatively quiet.

7. Are we crazy to do this without more planning? Nope. Even with all the planning in the world, you can't see/do it all. Enjoy what you *do* get to experience.

I think that is all for now. I am super-grateful in advance for the wisdom of you experienced Disney moms (and anyone who read this far)!

Two more suggestions:

* Make sure you understand how FastPasses work. http://wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/fastpass.htm.

* Consider checking out the DisBoards. (http://www.disboards.com) It looks totally overwhelming, but after 3-5 pages a lot repeats.

Let me know if you have other questions I can answer... (and sorry for the bolding...)

[Tinkerbell313]

Be aware of park hours. During slow times, the parks close earlier then they do in the Summer. Usually, MK and EP close at 9, AK closes at 5 and DHS at 7 or 8pm unless the individual park has extra magic hours. If the park has EMH, since you are staying at a Disney resort, you can take advantage of those hours (either AM or PM)

You can find the park hours here http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/calendars/

We went Jan. 21 - 26, 2011 and although it was slow (which I did not think so compared to our Sept. 2010 trip), you still had to utilize EMH and fast passes or you would wait in line for 30 minutes at some of the rides (I hate waiting)


I realize your child is only 3, but when we first took DS and DD in 2009, DS was 3. We went nonstop from about 10am to 11pm...with on sit down meal for dinner (the rest of the meals were counter service). And he was fine with it...he never got tired as there was so much for him. And he's not one of those kids who gets tired easily. Therefore, we made use of the hours each park was open.

Have fun.

[MamaSnoo]

Thank you sooooo much!!! DH is laughing because he has been trying to get me to settle down all evening, but I told him "you are not a mama!" I really feel like I have a better idea about what to expect and I feel more confident that we will have a great time, even without tons of planning. All the extra tips have been fabulous!

One more question: for AK, the main thing that DD will like is the Safari.....the website says no pregnant women. Really? You cannot ride a open air tram and look at animals if you are preggo? I guess DH could take her and I could put my feet up somewhere, but I would be a little sad.

[hellokitty]

Thank you sooooo much!!! DH is laughing because he has been trying to get me to settle down all evening, but I told him "you are not a mama!" I really feel like I have a better idea about what to expect and I feel more confident that we will have a great time, even without tons of planning. All the extra tips have been fabulous!

One more question: for AK, the main thing that DD will like is the Safari.....the website says no pregnant women. Really? You cannot ride a open air tram and look at animals if you are preggo? I guess DH could take her and I could put my feet up somewhere, but I would be a little sad.

I didn't notice the sign, BUT it is VERY bumpy during certain sections of the ride. So, I could see why they might have that sort of policy. You can always take the train ride (can't remember name) to see some of the animals too.

[JElaineB]

One more question: for AK, the main thing that DD will like is the Safari.....the website says no pregnant women. Really? You cannot ride a open air tram and look at animals if you are preggo? I guess DH could take her and I could put my feet up somewhere, but I would be a little sad.

The tram ride is actually pretty rough and bumpy at some parts (on purpose), so I guess I can see why is says no pregnant women. I'm not sure I would say the safari ride is a "must do" for a 3 year old. If you want to stick together, there are walking trails right next to it with the African animals, or you could try taking the train to Rafiki's planet watch. Or you could just sit and relax or shop while DH and DD go on the ride.

[crl]

Have fun!

I think the Contemporary is a great pace to stay! If we ever go back and have money it is probably first or second on my list.

I don't think you need any more planned activities. I might try to identify the most important "ride" at each park and try to either get there to get in line right away or to grab fast passes. Being at the park at rope drop does make a difference in how long lines are for the most popular attractions. You can always get counter service food. If you want sit down meals, you might try for those reservations, but it is not necessary for you to be able to find food. And it can be easier to not have the reservations constraining your days.

I would just take your stroller. It will likely come in handy for the airports too.

We liked the photo pass. It is free to get the card and let them take your pictures so you might as well do it, IMO. They just scan your card each time they take your picture so it all ends up on the same account online. If you don't like any of the pictures, you don't have to buy them. We got lots of good pictures in our five days in the parks and it was nice to have all of us in the pictures instead of always having one parent missing/taking the picture. We pre-paid for the cd and I used the pictures to make a photo book for us and for the grandparents we were there with. I also used the pictures in ds' autograph book (the characters will sign autographs and ds really liked that!) and to make a little calendar for the grandparents.

Catherine