First trip to Disney

[mattandmandy]

DH and I have been to Disney many times but will be taking our 2 toddlers for their first trip in December. We are looking for ideas to make their first trip special or to maybe start some family traditions. Since it was only the 2 of us in the past this trip will definately be much different than before.

I'm looking for any ideas yall may have or maybe traditions that you and your families have when visiting Disney. For example, I NEVER knew about the Barber Shop at MK so we will be taking them there for a haircut...I think they would find that fun!

Thanks!!!!

[indytraveler]

one little tradition we do is to take a family photo in front of the Castle in MK every year. Try to find the same spot or as near to it as possible. (1st thing) Last thing at MK every day is to get ice cream and talk about how much fun we had. It's interesting to hear 2-4 yr. olds talk about what they liked.

Maybe take more time on Main St. not necessarily shopping but looking in the windows.

[disneygeek84]

If you go to the MK first, go to Town Hall and get them their First Disney Trip buttons. Those are fun.

We had a family tradition when we were little that the first person to spot the Mickey Water Tower got a dollar. Sometimes it was different Disney Landmarks....we always drove so it could be a Disney sign or something.

Things like that are always fun, but they might be too little right now for something like that. You could always pick a ride that you ride first and then ride it first every time you go. Or pick a TS place to eat and eat there every time you go.

Those answers might be lame so hopefully someone will be along in a minute with a better answer!

[Kerr0173]

I have friends who have given me great ideas for this very occasion. They take gifts to WDW with them, like Disney pajamas, light up toys you get at the disney store, etc. When you leave out for the park in the AM, have you or hubby run back to the room for a "forgotten" item. You can then leave out the gift with a note from mickey or tinkerbell, or whoever.

You can also decorate the bathroom mirror for them to find in the morning, or fill the bath tub with pixie dust and a message on the wall. Those are cute ideas, assuming your kids won't freak out about someone coming into the room!

Also, you can make an ADR for a character meal for the kids. Then, make a couple of invitaions from Mickey or Pooh (whoever the meal is with), and slip them to a cast member in the park to give to your kids. They will think they are the personal guest of their favorite character.:mickey:

Those ideas require a little bit of planning ahead, but are great ideas! Hope it helps!
Kerrie

[Young@Heart]

Also, you can make an ADR for a character meal for the kids. Then, make a couple of invitaions from Mickey or Pooh (whoever the meal is with), and slip them to a cast member in the park to give to your kids. They will think they are the personal guest of their favorite character.:mickey:



I LOVE the above idea!!! I might do this for DD on our upcoming trip!

One thing my DS's loved during our first trip was making pressed coins. Whether we were at a park or a resort for a meal, they checked out all the machines and did the ones they liked the most. Then, we gave them pressed coin books and they had fun organizing them and looking at their collection. This trip, we're getting them new books so they can start another collection.

Character meals are also a great tradition. We try to visit a few new restautants each trip, but one we always include is Cape May Cafe breakfast. This was the first character meal for all of us, and I can't imagine WDW w/out it!

We've also started keeping a "photo record" of each trip in from of the Nemo photo spot at Epcot (near Living Seas). We love the castle photos, but at Nemo, DC can sit on the stone ledge and usually we can get a great pic w/out any strangers in the background. :thumbsup:

[PharmD]

One thing we like to do is get the autograph books and try to get all of the characters autographs. It's something nice to have at home to look back at for our young one. Also another character dining experience that we always do is Chef Mickey's. It is one that we do every trip.

[epceddie]

Go to Toontown in the MK and get their photo taken with Mickey. I still remember my little nephews lighting up when they got a chance to meet Mickey.
The photo they had taken is still on the mantle in their living room and they're all in high school now.

[teambricker04]

We like to go to the FW singalong and campfire/movie. It is never packed and the kids get to meet Chip'n'Dale. We usually don't make it through most of the movie.

Toontown is always a hit. As is the Character meet and greet at EPCOT.

Our favorite show right now is Little Einsteins so the playhouse Disney show at DHS is a MUST for our family.

[bjs6]

My daughters enjoyed getting autographs in their autograph books during their first trip.

I would also suggest a family photo with Mickey at Toontown fair. We have a wall in our house that we hang these photos. Sadly, there are only three photos. #4 has been ordered though!

[murphy1]

Very first thing right when you hit MK immediately go to Dumbo!!! I know that's simple, but we have always done that one, my parents did that with us. I don't think there is anything more magical than the very first ride seeing your child on is Dumbo, priceless.

Get ears with their names delivered to your room.


I have a Chase Disney Visa and we use it for the Disney Meet n Greet at Innoventions that is only for cardholders, we got 10 whole minutes with the characters and I even danced with Goofy. My kids love Garden Grill and that's a must for us (they will only have dinner when you are there, it's fun, but I'm sad they are cancelling the lunch.

Leave mousekeeping tips, they will do even more towel animals for you.

Wakeup calls are really fun, my kids liked answering the phone when Stitch or Mickey called in the morning.

One thing that I didn't expect, my kids got scared on Peter Pan, so just expect they might get scared on things you didn't think they would.

At Toontown, there is facepainting, my kids always loved that and still do.

Have a wonderful time!!! Are you going to Christmas Party?? We are planning on going for a couple days this year to Florida and going just there and Epcot.

[hardingella]

The most memorable thing we did with our two children was dinner at The Royal Table in Cinderellas castle.It is pure Disney Magic and it is just as magic for the boys as well as the girls. For the kids to eat in the castle itself is a dream come true. It is very popular so try and book before you go. Also if you ride the mono rail ask the gaurd at the station if you can ride upfront, then you get to sit with the driver and get great views of all WDW.Take advantage of the photographers there, they take great pictures and you get to view them in your own time when you get home.If you plan to eat at the parks a lot try and book as much as you can in advance because all the best places get busy real quick, you might not want to plan too much but you also dont want to miss out on the best stuff.:mickey:

[Luthien Tinuviel]

When I was little, I really enjoyed the passports you can buy at Epcot. They are little books that look like passports. They come with stickers for each country and a place for cast members from each country to write something. It was great! I learned how to write and say my name as well as various greetings in different languages. That was years ago, but it seems like they were still selling them on recent trips. Maybe if your kids are toddlers they're a little too young for this, but my brother and I were 3 and 4 and we still enjoyed it very much.

[RaRaRoundTheWorld]

Your post brings back fond memories. We were in your shoes about 2&1/2 years ago and are eternally grateful to Intercot for making our trips wonderful.

All these are excellent tips. We have spent the most time in the MK, since that's what my little ones have liked, so that's what my ideas mainly pertain to.

I would add:

- Quiet downtime rides/spots in MK: Tomorrowland Transit Authority & WDW Railway, Tom Sawyer's Island.
- Keep a small towel in your stroller or backpack for if the kids get wet.
- Remember the baby care center for quick access to potties, changing tables, supplies and microwaves.
- Stock up on playdoh, coloring books, legos, etc. for the car/airplane/hotel.
- We brought a portable DVD player or laptop, with headphones for our flight.
- We returned to our resort for naps each afternoon.
- My kids didn't like the dark, loud rides their first time.
- If you're at a resort with a beach, bring digging supplies - the ones at the resorts are overpriced.
- Keep small amounts of cleaning supplies in case you need to handwash or clean bottles or sippies quickly.
- Know that no matter how much or how little you do, your kids will have a wonderful time.

Good Luck and Enjoy Your Trip!!!!!!

[disney100%]

I am so happy for you! Our last trip was our first with our son (he was 14months at the time). It is our most memorable trips. I have a few tips that are the same as some above. The best thing we did was character meals. It gave my son a chance to interact with the characters without having to wait in a long line. My fondest memory was from Cape May Cafe Character Breakfast at the Beach Club. My son just loved Chip and Dale and Goofy.

Every trip, even when it was just my DH and I, we would purchase an ornament that represents our favorite memory from the trip. We started that tradition with my son. Because he loved Chip and Dale so much, we bought him a Chip and Dale ornament.

Our next trip is this October, and we have added two little princesses to our family. We have planned a couple of character meals again and I just can't wait to see what their favorite moments will be!

By the way, I have been to WDW 11 times and, though I have enjoyed every single visit, my most memorable was my first trip with my son. It is a completely different experience when are seeing things through your child's eyes!

[MarkC]

There are a couple of things we always do-- even though our kids are now 18 and 16. First, when we see the "Welcome to Walt Disneyworld" sign we always count backwards from 10 to 1 so that when we reach the sign, we all let out a cheer. We also have a favorite restaurant (in our case the Biergarten) and always make sure to eat there.

[KAJUNKING]

i love the idea of bringing home an ornament from each trip, we always have at least one meal at chef mickeys its our kids favorite

[mattandmandy]

Thanks Everyone!!! These are wonderful tips. I love all these ideas. I have to remember that they may be scared of some of the rides. I'm 32 now but still remember being VERY scared of the Snow White ride and my parents tell me I was also scared of Peter Pan. I am just so excited to take them for the first time!! Thanks again for all the ideas!!! :mickey:

[RBrooksC]

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at my 18 month old son's response to the rides last year. While he was a little scared at first when we went on Dumbo, he finally got into the rides and LOVED them. All the dark rides, POTC, Haunted Mansion, Buzz Lightyear all were things he loved. Actually, the HM was one of he favorites and some of the best reactions from him.

What I would suggest is that since this is your first time with the kids, make some new traditions instead of recycling ones people mentioned here.

When you are there just do things as you normally would. Then look back at what you did and see what worked the best, whether it is a photo that was taken, a ride that was ridden, a meal that was eaten and then remember to do that each and every trip.

What works for you or is special for your family is not going to be the same for somebody else.

[yjgirl715]

We decided to see wishes from a pontoon boat over the lagoon. It was great the driver was awesome- made the trip very magical. He let my DS3 "drive" the boat (with help) and gave us all this information about the various places. Showed us the shoe tree. It was a lot of fun for all of us.

I would also recommend getting a picture with a certain charater every year or near a certain building etc. Then you can see how much your kids have grown.

No matter what you do your kids will love it- plus just spending the time with them is what really makes it magical.

Have a great trip!

[DisneyBabies]

We are taking our son for his first trip to Disney for his birthday :party: in Feb 2009, so I'm relly excited for our next trip as well. A couple of things I have heard about and will try to do with my son:

Wake up Tinkerbell. I have heard that if you go to Tinkerbell's Treasures first thing in the morning and ask one of the cast members, you may be able to wake up Tinkerbell in her treasure chest.
Get my son to try on a hat in each of the countries at Epcot and take a picture. Then at each subsequent visit, have him try on hats again to see how much he has changed at each visit.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

For every visit each one in the family chooses a Disney Christmas ornament....hopefully one day we can have a tree with all Disney ornaments from our trips.:)

[McGoofy]

I love the photo traditions. One cool thing to do if you think you will be back over the years is to start a "height tradition photograph." It happened that on my DS's first visit at two years old, we were at MGM. Over near the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground, there was a statue of Flick from A Bug's Life. We took DS's pic beside this statue. When we came back the next year, we happened to do the same spot. On trips after that, we decided to make it a tradition. I love looking back at the photos to see how much DS grew from pic to pic. It made a really unique growth chart. DS is 10 now. We were sort of saddened when we were there a year or two ago and the statue was no longer there. It had gotten to where DS would run to that spot to get his photo with Flick. Anyway, you could pick a cool spot (that you think will remain there over time) and start your traditional height photos. I think maybe we should have done the Goofy that is in front of Tony's in Town Square. That statue hasn't gone anywhere over time!:mickey: