Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [14]
The Layout of the Parks
Testimonies from the more than 1,000 families surveyed or interviewed for this book have shown that the amount of advance research you do directly correlates with how much you enjoy your trip. Don’t get me wrong—visitors who show up at Disney World without any preparation can still have fun, but their comment sheets are peppered with “Next time I’ll know …” and “If only we had …”
If you’re letting preteens and teens roam around on their own, brief them on the locations of major attractions. But the pleasures of being prepared can extend even to preschoolers. If you purchase a few Disney World coloring books or a kids’ touring guide, even the youngest child will arrive able to identify Spaceship Earth and Splash Mountain. A little knowledge before entering the gates is essential to helping you spend your time in the parks wisely.
The Classic Stories of Disney
If your kids are under 8, another good pretrip purchase is a set of Disney books with CDs or tapes. Even though parental eyes may glaze over when Dumbo starts over for the 34th time, these recordings and books help to familiarize kids with the characters and rides they’ll be seeing once they arrive. “I made sure my 1-year-old was familiar with the Disney characters, but what really helped was buying the Disney Classics CD before the trip,” wrote one mom. “We listened to it in the car every day and when we were at Disney, we would get so excited when he heard a song; we knew that he would jump around and try to sing along.”
Some families rent Disney movies before the trip. For example, viewing Honey, I Shrunk the Kids before you leave will vastly improve your children’s appreciation of the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure at Hollywood. Even watching an old favorite like The Little Mermaid or Aladdin can refresh your child’s memory and make it doubly exciting when, a few weeks later, he comes face-to-face with the characters in the park.
Special Academic Projects
See the section “Should We Take the Kids Out of School?” earlier in this chapter for ideas. Whatever project you decide upon, it’s essential you get the kids on board before you arrive in Orlando. Once there, they’ll be too distracted for your lectures on academic responsibility.
Souvenirs and Money
Will you save all souvenir purchases for the last day? Buy one small souvenir every day? Are the children expected to spend their own money, or will you spring for the T-shirts? Whatever you decide, set the rules before you’re in the park. Otherwise the selection of goodies will lure you into spending far more than you anticipated.
One excellent technique for limiting impulse buys is to purchase Disney Dollars the first day you’re in WDW. (You can get them at any on-site hotel or at Guest Relations in any park.) Disney Dollars come in denominations of $1, $5, and $10 (with pictures of Disney characters where presidents would be) and are accepted throughout Disney World. You can give your kids an age-appropriate number of Disney Dollars at the beginning of the trip, explaining that this money alone is for souvenirs.
The Scare Factor
Finally, give some thought to the scare factor. A disappointing meal or boring show can ruin an hour, but if misjudging a ride leaves you with a terrified or nauseated child, that can ruin the whole day.
How frightening a ride is can be tough to gauge because Disney World scariness comes in two forms—the atmospheric or creepy kind as in the cobwebbed old hotel in the Tower of Terror, or the motion-related kind. And note that while Space Mountain and Expedition Everest are obviously risky, some guests can lose their lunch on sweet little charmers like the Mad Tea Party.
Disney’s guidance comes in the form of height requirements,