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"i love the book online... we are going to disney with my two children ages 18 and 21-any tip for kids this old? is it better to do all my own booking or to go through a travel agent? thanks for all the valuable info!" Older teens should do well on their own. They can visit DisneyQuest, the movie theaters, and Pleasure Island. With park hoppers, I would let them set their own schedules. Not all travel agents try to get you the best deal. Our agent is familiar with all our deals and she will book your vacation at the lowest possible price at no extra charge. Glad you are enjoying our "Secrets To An Affordable Walt Disney World® Vacation."
Shelly recently rejoined us with a Deluxe Lifetime Membership: "Thanks, John! I had a regular membership a few years back and it was well worth the money. Since then my hubby and I have had twins who will be 3 years old this July. So, we are planning our first Disney trip with them! I'm so excited. I can't wait to see their little faces light up when they visit 'Mickey World' as they call it. Thanks so much for compiling all this information! You do an incredible job!!!" Thank you, Shelly, for your generous comments. I look forward to helping your twins have many happy years at Walt Disney World!
"'Magical Beginnings" is a program designed to help parents of very young children have a better idea of what attractions and services are a good fit for the little ones... Perhaps the best things about the program are the maps, which can be downloaded here." (Source: blogs.orlandosentinel.com, 05/02/07)
Themed Birthday Celebrations Now Offered at Resort Hotels
The Walt Disney World Resort now offers children's birthday experiences in
a variety of children's centers in resort locations across property. The
following events are great suggestions for those looking to celebrate a child's
special day, and can be booked by calling the Walt Disney World Recreation
department at 407-939-7529.
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Magical Beginnings is a new Disney program which features entertainment for young children during the months of August and September. The program includes one hour of early access to certain rides in Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland as well as a Playhouse Disney in Concert series at MGM featuring children's entertainment:
For a list of current activities, see Disney's official site There seems to be some confusion about getting tickets to these shows. Intercot.com states: "Studios Cast have been informed that concerts that are deemed to have 'high popularity' will have a special admission process. The process will entail FastPasses for each of the scheduled show times for that day being distributed at the Lights, Motors Action! Stunt Show FastPass kiosks. Admission to these select performances will only be granted to those guests who have obtained a FastPass for the showing."
Tip For Mothers at Disney: Beth, our travel agent, writes: If you have a little one that isn't used to sleeping in a regular bed, call housekeeping from your room and ask for a bed rail (or two). There's no charge, and it can sure save your child from a nasty bruise or scratch!
Kim writes about taking young children to WDW: "I have taken my children since 1 yr old as well, people tell me that's too young and they don't remember. My son was 3 yrs old the first time, my daughter 1 yr old, when we went back the next yr my son then four remembered the hotel we stayed at, and the rides he was too small for the yr before. We took a baby monitor with us and requested a room close to the pool, in the afternoon my 1 yr old could nap and the 3 of us could sit by pool with baby monitor. It was great. Also bring a stroller that lies down. Enjoy Disney while kids are small as once they are 10 or 11, it's a much quicker pace trip."
WDW Child Care: "Take time to unwind. Mom and Dad can drop off the kids at one of Disney’s childcare facilities, available to resort guests for a nominal fee. Kids ages 4-12 who are toilet trained can join in the adventures of Peter Pan at the Neverland Club at Disney’s Polynesian Resort or enjoy Disney classic movies, video games and toys at Disney’s Sandcastle Club at Disney’s Beach Club Resort. The Mouseketeer Clubhouses at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa; Harbor Club at Disney’s BoardWalk; Cub’s Den at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge; and Simba’s Cubhouse at Disney’s Animal Kingdom also offer childcare facilities." (Source: WDW Press Release.)
Linda writes: "I just have one quick question. Are the height requirements very strict at Walt Disney World? My children (Dillon is 10 years old and 4' 1" and my daughter Rebecca is 8 yrs and 4'). People tell me there are many rides they won't be able to go on. Is that so?" Dillon and Rebecca can't ride:
Magic Kingdom: Tomorrowland Speedway - 52" (They can
ride it with an adult)
Theme Parks and Very Young Children: The ideal age for kids visiting WDW is 4 years or older, but there are many wonderful things for younger kids to enjoy as well. Yes, you do have to switch off or pass on some attractions, but don't let that hold you back. See our tours of the parks for all the great rides and attractions very young children can enjoy at the WDW parks. We have heard from parents that visitors with very young kids should skip Universal's Islands of Adventure.
Those flying to WDW can avoid dragging their stroller on the plane by buying a cheap umbrella stroller when they arrive at WDW. They won't have to rent an expensive stroller at the Disney parks and can pass it on to someone else when they are ready to return home.
Tim writes: "can you please explain the rule on Strollers? I thought you HAD to rent them from WDW inside the parks. Can you take in umbrella strollers? Can you bring/use your own?" You can use your own strollers. The only problem we have seen is people taking the wrong stroller when they leave the attraction. Be sure to identify your stroller with a ribbon or something so you and others know it's yours. Don't leave anything valuable in the stroller when you leave it parked outside the attraction.
Dinah writes about parent swapping: "I remember seeing somewhere that WDW had a program where I could ride a thrill ride while baby stayed with Daddy and when I got off, he could switch with me without having to wait in line again. I can't find it anywhere now so I must have dreamed it... Would you let me know about this swapping thing and any other helpful hints about doing disney with a toddler?" Yes, Disney still allows you to parent swap. See our Customized Tours of the WDW Theme Parks for advice about touring the parks with young children.
Mary Jane writes: "I am really starting to feel overwhelmed ... My family is planning to visit WDW ... We will have a one year old, four year old, 14 yr. old and a 19 yr. old... Any tips on making this visit enjoyable with such a diverse age group?? Thanks for your help." Our daughter son like to bicker. I would give the 19-year old more freedom to do things on his or her own like DisneyQuest, Pleasure Island, etc., but there are no easy solutions. He/she may find others his/her own age and want to hang out with them. Mary Jane wrote back: "If you find the magic bullet to bickering sibs, not only will you be very, very rich but will give vacation a whole new dimension."
Tony writes about taking a 2 year old to WDW: "I went to WDW in June with my daughters ages 6 (since April) and 2 (since March). I also took them the previous September, when they were 5 1/2 and 2 1/2. My family had a great time. It does limit the amount of things you can fit into one day, and I recommend someone taking the 2-year-old back to the room for a nap in the middle of the day, but we thought it was worth it. Part of a trip to WDW is about building family memories, and it would be incomplete if the whole family wasn't there. If you have an older child, have him watch all the kids in your party and allow the parents to go out some night. To stay in touch... take or rent cell phones or walkie talkies. We rented combination digital phone/walkie talkies. The range of the walkie talkie is the entire state of Florida, and if you are using that feature, you aren't charged for minutes." Teri writes:
"I took my daughter when she was 1 and 2 years old
and she loved all the parks! Epcot was actually her favorite with "The Living
Sea" exhibit. She loves fish. Also the ride in the giant golf ball (Spaceship
Earth) entertained her as well with all the lights. At the end of the day
she was still up for the GREAT fireworks show. I would have to say even a
2 year old can enjoy Epcot as well as the other magic that Disney creates." For our 3rd trip to Disneyworld we took our 1 1/2 yr old and our 6 1/2 yr old. We stayed at Coronado Springs, had a room near the pool and brought the baby monitor. We tried almost every day of the 10 day stay to take a mid day break. I would sit by the pool with the baby monitor while she slept and my husband and son would cool off with a swim. She was also quite content in her stroller (we brought our own...) and we used the 'kid switch' so we could both ride the bigger rides with our son (he got to ride twice). No worries. just be patient and plan ahead (have lots of snacks and juice boxes)."
A visitor writes: "I hear the new strollers at the parks are uncomfortable. Should I bring my own from home?" The new strollers at the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Epcot are hard. Put a blanket in the stroller so that it is more comfortable. The strollers at MGM are not as hard.
Lila writes: "I need an answer to a couple of things. The "OTHER" GRANDMOTHER is taking the 4 year old twins to Disneyworld now in the hottest most crowded time. I have a fear of this woman who sees them ONCE a year losing the twins. The boy twin has no fear and will go toward anything he likes. Any suggestions?? She also said she bought EXPRESS tickets to get through lines sooner than the others. What are those???? How do you get the kids signed up for the Lost Kid program?? We have taken them but I know we won't lose them, but this person might. We have taken them twice already." Cast members are very good at spotting lost children. They will take them to the Baby Care Center or City Hall in the Magic Kingdom; to the Baby Care Center or Guest Relations at Epcot; to Guest Relations at MGM; to Guest Relations at the Animal Kingdom. Disney also has surveillance cameras everywhere and a computer program that immediately broadcasts the description of the child and the status of the search. No paging is allowed, but in serious emergencies, Disney will notify cast members park wide. We are not aware of a Lost Kid program at WDW. Disney only offers certain FastPass attractions where you can insert your pass and receive a time to return and enter without waiting. Everyone is entitled to FastPass who has park admission.
Rick writes: "Do the Disney people have nebulizers available? Our boy is allergic to horses and i really don't know how we would lug his all around." Here are some important numbers to keep in hand. You may want to call Disney and express your concerns.
First Aid is available at all theme parks:
Cheryl writes:
"I've really enjoyed the book and the weekly newsletter.
Keep up the good work. See our book, "Secrets To An Affordable Walt Disney World® Vacation," for birthday parties at the resorts, on cruises, etc. You can also call 407/WDW-DINE for information about arranging parties at WDW restaurants.
Steve writes: "My son is a bit of a picky eater .. a virtual vegetarian and likes simple food like cheese sandwiches, grilled cheese, fruit, etc. I was wondering if there was a 'market place' on the grounds that sells fruits veggies, cheese, bread etc or are there restaurants that you could recommend either around the All Star Hotels or elsewhere that would serve a cheese sandwich with cucumber slices? I am not planning to rent a car but I could take a cab somewhere close if necessary. If I could find a market place or something I would likely also get a small fridge in the room. Secondly my parents are hoping to go golfing (at least once) on one of the Disney courses while we are there. Do you have any information on the golf courses or do you know where I can get some? Thanks and keep up the great service." Goodings Supermarket in the Crossroads shopping center near Downtown Disney by the off property Disney hotels carries almost everything. You could take a cab for about $10 + tip. Why not have a town car pick you up at the airport? They will make stops along the way. Have him stop at Goodings. That would save you the $20 roundtrip cab fare! Most of the eateries at WDW cater to vegetarians. All Star serves grilled cheese sandwiches and salads. I don't see why they couldn't make a cheese sandwich with cucumber! You will find vegetarian choices at WDW almost everywhere. See the dining chapter in our book for more vegan suggestions. Magic Kingdom
Main Street Bake Shop Epcot
Innovention West: Fountain View Cafe World Showcase
England: Yorkshire County Fish Shop Disney-MGM Studios
Sunset Blvd: Starring Rolls Bakery, Anaheim Produce,
Catalina Eddie's, Sunset Market Ranch, and Rosie's All-American Cafe Animal Kingdom
Safari Village: Pizzafari If you are making reservations for priority seating at a Disney restaurant (407/939-3463), tell the person on the phone that you are a vegetarian (or you prefer kosher, lactose-free, low-sodium, etc.). They will make a note of it. If you're a Disney resort guest, Guest Services at your hotel can make these arrangements for you. Give them at least an hour's notice, although a day is better. If you're staying off property, call 407/824-2222 a day in advance and the switchboard operator will help you make arrangements. At Universal Studios, Guest services will give you a list of eateries that serve vegetarian cuisine. Islands of Adventure has not published any details yet on vegetarian choices at the park's eateries. Check with Guest Services when you arrive. For some helpful information on WDW golf, click here.
Ellen writes: If you plan to drop off your child, he or she must be toilet trained. Most programs are for children four to twelve. Cost $10 per hour. Most require a minimum number of hours and you must pay for a meal if your child's stay exceeds a certain number of hours. Service is available 4:30 PM until midnight. For information on Disney's centers, call 407/939-3463, contact Guest Services at your resort hotel, or click here. Wyndham Palace Resort and Spa also provides child care: Sitter Solutions 407-438-5684; All About Kids 407-812-9300. Camp Dolphin at the Dolphin Resort caters to kids 4-12 from 5:30 Pm - midnight. Children must be potty trained. $12 per hour per child. Call 407/934-4000. Kids Nite Out is the service that Disney recommends. They provide in-room baby sitting and will also accompany your child to the theme parks. Sitters are experienced, bonded and insured, and must be 18 or older. They come prepared with activities and games for your child and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week at the WDW resorts. Rates: $13.50 per hour. Add $2 per hour for each additional child. For reservations or more information, call 407/828-0920, see Guest Services at your resort, or visit kidsniteout.com. All About Kids is another service worth considering. They are available for in-room care 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. They charge a minimum of four hours. Visits to the parks are possible, but you must pay admission for the sitter. Multi-lingual staff are available. Call 407/812-9300 or visit all-about-kids.com.
Keith and Laura vacationed at WDW and wanted to share their tips for taking young children into the parks. "We are very grateful for all your information. Our children are ages 6, 5, 3, and 2. This was the first year we went without a stroller and it was WONDERFUL!!!! The 2 year old did fine until the 4th day, then we rented a stroller that and the next day. Tips for traveling to Disney World with Babies and Toddlers: Packing: For babies not yet walking - pack onesies in spring, summer, fall, and take at least 1 lightweight wool blanket. Drape blanket over top of stroller for extra shade protection (sun screens NOT recommended for babies under 6 mo.), then wrap baby in blanket when going into a ride/show that has A/C. We saw too many babies in their strollers with socks and shoes on that were so overheated that their little faces were bright red - even in the shade. My favorite at Magic Kingdom is the carousel of progress. You get to sit in the A/C for 30 minutes, and it's a great place to wait for those on Space Mountain. Strollers: If toddlers can walk, we highly recommend NOT getting a stroller, particularly at Magic Kingdom. Most rides are so close together, you spend more time stroller parking and in/out than you would walking! If you have a baby, DO NOT think you can just let them sleep in the stroller - plan to hold/carry them a LOT. Even babies used to strollers (ours have never been), there are a lot of new sounds, smells, etc. that babies need that extra attention. We found it was easier to take a 6 WEEK old and a 14 month old than it was to take one when they were 6 MONTHS old. We saw several families with children up to 10 years old in STROLLERS!!Then the parents would get upset that the children wouldn't go to bed at night - they'd been sitting all day long!!!! For us, part of the Disney experience is the sore feet at the end of the day! For toddlers and preschoolers - buy nicely cushioned sports shoes about 1 month before going. We buy shoes at Walmart, and can usually find that the better cushioned shoes are cheaper than 'name brands.' Also, take them to a mall for 'practice.' Teach them how to walk holding hands, stand in line, stay together, etc. We told our 2 year old how to 'follow those shoes' in each ride. It helped keeping him with the rest of us! Place a luggage tag 'laced into' the shoes so that if you do get separated a responsible adult can help - also remember a paper name tag can be peeled off - by a grown-up if placed on their back. Pacifiers and 'Lovies' (favorite toy) - Start training your little one(s) to leave pacifiers and lovies in the car or at home or in this case, the hotel. The last thing you want is a bad memory experience because of a lost lovie - or a pacifier that has dropped and you can't immediately pop it in their mouths. We have found that young babies do OK with binki clips, but by the time ours are 6 months old they start trying to pull the clip off!! When we're out and about, we keep a binki in hiding for nap time, but let them know that it belongs in the van - we bring it out when they need to nap, then hide it again when they are so asleep they don't miss it. As for purchasing souvenirs with small children: we have found it best to window shop at our local Walmart, Target and Disney stores, to know what is available and for what price before we leave. We then give each child a spending limit, or for children too small to understand - a size limit. We buy each child 1 Balloon the first day, so they can "see" their treasure every day at the hotel, then we buy any other souvenirs on our last day (lessens the probability of loosing, breaking things before we get home). At [the store where we recommend you buy WDW souvenirs at a substantial discount] we found plenty of toys ... One toy we bought in the park for $15.99 was only $5.99 in the store. We bought watches for the 5 and 6 year olds - $29.99 value for $8.99 and $12.99. Our 3 year old got "bug's life" sun glasses for .99 and our 2 year old got a plastic squeaky Figment for $2.99. There were lots of breakables right at their level - not a place for wild toddlers!" Thanks for the tips, Keith and Laura. We invite all our readers to share their tips with us.
Jeanne P. writes:
"Should I even get a rental car. I've read a lot of
pros and cons. Shuttle transfers are required between resorts if we want
to eat there. How long do such trips take? My 4 year old is not the best
on long car rides."
" Are there a lot of mosquitoes at WDW during the first
weeks of September? Do you have any recommendations about bug repellent that
won't endanger my little girl?"
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