Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [3]
Plan your trip for those times of year when the parks are less crowded. When people write to me about having had bad experiences at Disney World, it seems that about 90% of the disasters happen either over spring break or in July.
Buy tickets and arrange all hotel and dining reservations well in advance. Every phone call you make from home is a line you won’t have to stand in later.
Read up on attractions and let each family member choose three or four must-see attractions per park. An amazing number of parents plan this trip for their kids without really consulting them about what they’d most like to do.
Accept your differences and be willing to split up occasionally. Forcing a sullen 13-year-old onto It’s a Small World or strapping a terrified 5-year-old into Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster in the interest of family togetherness will guarantee at least one tantrum per hour.
Arrive at the parks early, rest in the afternoon, and return to the parks at night. Walt Disney World can be very tiring and regular rest stops are key.
Those five tips are always in fashion, but in the past three years there have been a few other changes worth noting:
The popularity of the Disney Dining Plan has changed the face of Disney restaurants—even for families who don’t opt to purchase the plan. The reason? Families who once would never have considered herding the kids into top on-site restaurants are now deciding it’s cost-effective to give fine dining a try. So suddenly you’re seeing even toddlers in restaurants like the Brown Derby, Citricos, Flying Fish, or California Grill. Although they’re still great places to eat, the Dining Plan is indirectly taking a little of the adult feel and glamour out of these top restaurants. And the fact that so many more visitors are vying for seats inside the restaurants means that making reservations before you leave home is more important than ever. I’ve gotten tons of mail from families who waited until they got to Orlando to make dining reservations and found themselves closed out of the restaurants they most wanted to visit.
Spring and fall are becoming slightly more crowded, especially during the two weeks flanking Easter and the fall weekends in which the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween parties are offered. The off-season is still a better choice than visiting in summer or at Christmas, but be aware that it’s not quite as “off” as it used to be.
Princess power reigns supreme. The character breakfasts have always been popular, but those featuring the princess characters are so hot that they require more planning than a NASA launch. Little girls can also get styled like their favorite princess at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutiques, and you see more little girls than ever walking around the parks in full princess regalia. There’s some effort to counterbalance this girl-power invasion with activities that boys will enjoy, such as the Jedi Training Academy at Hollywood and Captain Jack’s Pirate Tutorial at Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom. But for now, at least, the prevalence of the princesses is undeniable and most little girls come under its spell. Bring costumes from home if you have them. If not, prepare to purchase.
What hasn’t changed in 23 years is my belief that Walt Disney World is the best family travel destination on the planet. There’s truly something for everyone within these gates, and the spectacular, awe-inspiring rides are juxtaposed with sweet, small moments of joy. As one father shared: “My best-of-all moment was my 23-month-old daughter standing on the seat of Disney’s Magical Express as we entered the gates of Walt Disney World yelling ‘Mickey … don’t worry … I coming!’ That made it worth all the trouble and expense before we’d even arrived.”
Throughout this book I’ve included such comments as the one above from Disney visitors who’ve written to me to share their best tales, tips, and “never again” stories. I’d love to hear how your trip went and any feedback