Touring Tips - Walt Disney World with children

We all look forward to our first Walt Disney World trip with our children. It can be a joyous time that we remember for the rest of our lives. However, inevitably there will be bumps in the road and it will not always come off as the perfect trip that we envision before we go.

Walt Disney World can be very overwhelming for kids. As we all know, there can be a lot of walking and a lot of hot weather which can also cause a great day to turn into a not so great day. So, for all first time parents going to Walt Disney World, I have developed some tips for your to follow to help your trip be the best trip it can be.

- wait until your child is at least 5 to take them. This one can be controversial but I find that to be a good age as their stamina is a little better, they are not taking naps anymore, and they can get on a lot of the attractions that a 3 year old may not be able to get on.

- get a stroller if your child can still fit in one. This is critical and can really avoid issues. On my last trip, I rented a double stroller and my eight year old even sat in it. It made the trip much more enjoyable and gave the kids the rest and break from the sun that they sorely needed. Renting at Disney can be expensive, so bring your own if you can, or buy a cheap stroller at Wal-Mart that you can dispose of once the trip is over. The key is that there is a cover to protect children from the sun.

- Stay on property – if it can be fit in your budget, stay on Disney property. This is great as you can easily take a mid-day break back to your hotel if your child becomes tired. I always work a mid-day break into my day if at all possible. It gives everyone time to recharge and prepare for the evening. Aside, from the convenience staying on property, the theming of the Disney resorts will really add to the enjoyment of your family vacation.

- Use a touring plan – make a plan before you go and it will increase your enjoyment substantially. Kids get very impatient waiting in line, and a touring plan is a great aid to help minimize this. As well, a touring plan can help make sure you maximize your time and make the best use of the day possible. I recommend the Unofficial Guide or checking out www.touringplans.com.

- Set aside a day for characters – kids will inevitably want to meet and have their pictures taken with the characters. Set aside one day to throw all touring plans aside and take your children around to the various character appearances fitting in attractions as you can in between. This will allow you to focus on touring on the other days to maximize the attractions. I would also strongly suggest you arrange for a character meal or two. My favorites are Chef Mickey’s and Tusker House.

- Work in water parks and pool visits – we all know kids love the water and it can provide a welcome relief from the Florida sun. For at least a few days on your trip, work in a trip back to the hotel for the kids to swim in the pool. It will allow them to cool down, have fun, and recharge for the evenings activities. As well, work in a day to go visit one of Disney’s great water parks, Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach. I guarantee this day will be one of your children’s favorite days. My children always look forward to the water park day and I often have issues limiting it to only one day.

- Preview the scarier rides with your children – I recommend going onto Youtube and searching for some of the potential scary rides and show them to your children. I realize it is not the same as being there, but it can give you some indication of how they may react once you get there. You can usually tell the scarier rides by their names (Snow White’s Scary Adventures, the Haunted Mansion, etc). The Unofficial Guide provides a great list. As well, the Relive the Magic set is a great way to preview rides.

- Bring a backpack with all the essentials – sunscreen, water, wipes, snacks, etc. This will save you money and allow you to instantly protect your child from the sun, clean them up or fufill their hunger or thirst.

- Develop a plan in case you get separated – crowds can get heavy at times and although we all try to avoid it, we do sometimes get separated from our children. Go over a plan such as approaching a cast member if you get separated, and also decide on a meeting point.

I’m sure there are many more tips that people have, but these are some of my key tips to help you enjoy your vacation with your children. Please manage our expectations when traveling with your children. They do not have the stamina you do and have different priorities when visiting Walt Disney World. Keep in mind, it is your child’s vacation as well as yours and as much as you would like things to go perfectly, there will always be bumps in the road.

Enjoy your vacation….

Comments

[Biblioadonis aka George]

I agree with all of your tips *except* about bringing a child under 5. Both of my kids have visited several times each under the age of 5. The memories we have are amazing. They have their favorite rides and we talk about them all of the time.

Sure it takes some more planning, but your other tips will help tremendously when traveling to WDW with younglings.

We are already counting down for our second trip with the kids this year!

[Colin]

My twin boys were actually 4 the first time I took them so I definitely think you have a point. It really depends on the child I think. My boys were there last May and are counting down to their next trip this Sept.