|
|
|
-
Random observations of my first trips as a parent.
As the title says, this is not really a fully detailed trip report but random comments that come to mind from my first trip as a parent. My DW and I took our 17 month old son to WDW Feb 4-10 and stayed at the WL.
*The Disney Visa Greet is a great way to get a toddler used to the characters. Its only your family and the characters and he can take his time to explore. He was scared at first but really warmed up to them quickly. He loved all characters the rest of the week.
*Finding Nemo attraction and new version of Mexico really get better through a child's eyes.
*Bring your own stroller if you can. Our son really loved taking naps in his own stroller.
*Getting from Downtown Disney to Hollywood Studios can be a real pain. (Do not trust anyone that tells you the studios is a "short walk" from the Boardwalk.)
*Disney could charge $10 for a bottle of water in the walkway from the Boardwalk to the Studios. (My DW assures me she would have gladly paid $20)
*I have noticed a lot of criticism here for the interactive queues. I found them to be well done and effective. Almost makes you wish you had not gotten a fast pass.
*I had always complied with my fast pass return window until this trip. My son seemed to be taking a nap anytime our window for Pooh arrived. Two weeks ago I was all in favor of enforcing the window, now I am not so sure.
*Did Space Mountain for the first time since the rehab. Did not really notice many differences. Maybe it was all the screaming?
* The Yak and Yeti Quick service has some really yummy food. The honey chicken was great.
*Is there any better smelling but worse tasting popcorn than the one at WDW? My wife always falls for the smell only to be disappointed.
*You want to collect hundreds of Mickey stickers in a week? Take a child to Disney. WOW! They came at us from all angles!
*The Roaring Fork's flatbreads are great. Too bad I discovered them on our last day.
*You think Epcot is huge? Take a stroller. Then you will really know how huge it is. Our favorite park became our least favorite during this trip.
*While the lines were not bad at all during this week, it seemed as if the walkways were always full.
*Have read a lot about the cheerleaders and brazilians during this week. There were a lot of cheerleaders, but I only saw one brazilian group and it was not made up of only teenagers, it seemed to be made up of families. The big touring groups we saw filled with teenagers were not brazilian but argentinian. I found them to be well behaved in the most part. The only problem is when you see them walking towards you or even worse in front of you towards the same attraction you are headed to.
*Is there a worse place to be on a crowded day than the Studios?
*The carrousel at MK seems to be a really short ride. Not an easy one for parents of infants who still don't undersatnd the concept of having to get back in line.
*Disney should establish a weekly schedule for characters. Having different ones on different days of the week in addition to the regular ones that appear daily. While I know the Fab five, Pooh, Buzz, and the princesses must be there every single day. Would anyone really mind if on Monday you had Pinocchio, but on Tuesday it were somebody else? The characters were all the same at all times during the whole week. While I appreciate they do not change characters during breaks like they used to, you could still change from day to day.
That is it for now maybe I'll remember a few more later. The trip was great, our son really enjoyed it and I can't wait for the next one.
-
Please Support INTERCOT's Sponsors:
-
Great Post
1980 Disneyland
2004 & 2006 Pop
2008 AKL
2010 CBR
2011 POFQ & WL
2012 CSR & Contemporary
2013 Villas @ WL Christmas Family Trip
2014 YC 25th Anniversary Trip
2015 AoA Spring Family Trip
2016 Move to Florida and AP Holder
-
Originally Posted by Stitch,esq
*Is there any better smelling but worse tasting popcorn than the one at WDW? My wife always falls for the smell only to be disappointed.
We've always enjoyed the popcorn, but taste is subjective.
Originally Posted by Stitch,esq
*You want to collect hundreds of Mickey stickers in a week? Take a child to Disney. WOW! They came at us from all angles!
I agree. When my youngest was younger, we'd get tons of stickers each trip.
Originally Posted by Stitch,esq
*Disney should establish a weekly schedule for characters. Having different ones on different days of the week in addition to the regular ones that appear daily. While I know the Fab five, Pooh, Buzz, and the princesses must be there every single day. Would anyone really mind if on Monday you had Pinocchio, but on Tuesday it were somebody else? The characters were all the same at all times during the whole week. While I appreciate they do not change characters during breaks like they used to, you could still change from day to day.
I would hate this. Among all the other things we have to schedule around, I would not want to add this to the mix.
Going the first time with your child does open you eyes in a whole new way. I fell in love with Disney all over again after my children began going. It's a new magic!
Genna
Always Enjoy the
¸.•*¨)¸.•*¨)¸.•*¨Magic¸.•*¨)¸.•*¨)¸.•*¨
"Now approaching, Mickey's Star Traders"
If You Can Read This...
...Thank The Phoenicians!
-
Originally Posted by Stitch,esq
*The carrousel at MK seems to be a really short ride. Not an easy one for parents of infants who still don't undersatnd the concept of having to get back in line.
This was certainly our experience when we traveled with a 2 year old who did NOT want to get off the ride at the end!
We dined at the Yak & Yeti quick service location on our last trip and really enjoyed it!
You have certainly outlined how different trips become when you have children along!
Linda aka: Faline
INTERCOT Staff: Vacation Planning,Trip Reports and Disney Camping
[email protected]
-
When DS was young the hardest one for us was Dumbo. You wait in line forever for a really short ride.
I miss, now that DS is older, the way he changed our view of WDW. It was so much fun seeing it through his eyes.
74 Off Site
98 Contemporary & DCL inaugural cruise
99 Dixie Landings
00 Dixie Landings
01 POR & DCL
02 AKL & DCL
03 VB
04 DL GC
05 ASSp, VWL, GF
06 POFQ, CSR, OKW
07 ASMo & VWL
08 Pop VWL
09 BW, POR, VWL, CSR
10 WL
12 VWL, AKL Club
13 VWL, WL Club
-
Our first trip with our children was so special! I cherish those memories, and only wish we hadn't waited so long to take them (they were 3 and 6 at the time.) I'm glad your first experience was a positive one, and here's wishing you many more magical Disney trips as a family!
May '06 - offsite
Dec. '07 - Poly
Feb. '09 - WL
Oct. '09 - CBR
May '10 - POFQ/AKL
Oct. '10 - BWI
Jan./Feb. '11 - All Star Music
March '12 - Poly
Dec. '12 - Pop Century
April '13 - Disneyland!
Nov '13 - 1st Disney Cruise!
June '14 - All Star Sports
-
I also was completely in favor of Disney enforcing the fast pass time windows; however you make a valid point. It would have been disappointing for your baby to either miss out on seeing the ride or waking him up for it and not being able to enjoy it because he's sleepy and probably cranky. It's been a long time since I've been at WDW with a baby, so I didn't think of this!
Loved your post. Thanks!
Next up - January '14 - WL
March '13 - POR; May '12 - AKL; Oct. '12 - GF; Feb '11 - SSR; Oct '10 - BC; Feb '09 - Poly; Feb '08 - WL; Feb '06 - POR; April '04 - ASM; Nov '02 - POR; Jan '00 - CSR; Feb '98 - POR; Oct '96 - CBR; Sept '94 - BC
-
Vince
aka. Vizsla
INTERCOT Staff: Mousellaneous and Disney Vacation Club
DVC Member 10/11/04
-
I wonder if they could have helped you out with this. We have yet to ride Toy Story Mania with children. My son was always napping during our fast pass time but one time we were actually all the way at the front of the line when my son fell asleep in my hubby's arms, they told us to come back and gave us a fast pass that didn't expire. While I don't know if they will do that for people not on line yet because I didn't try but it could be a thought to try next time? I would roll my sleeping child to the entrance and ask. You have nothing to lose.
First Trip '77
Disney Cast Member WDW '98
1st yr Anniversary Trip '02
DVC mem '04
Family Reunion '05! & Dads 70th '11
Found out we were having a baby' Disneyland, CA March '08
1st TRIP for DS 7/09 BIL WDW Wedding!
Found out baby #2 was coming WDW 5/11
#2 1st trip Sept'12 & Son#1 5th trip!
-
So glad to see your perspective. We are travelling with a child for the first time in April and can't wait to see his reactions! He is 11 (our Godson), so it'll be different than a toddler, but I still really enjoyed reading your post!
Haunted Mansion Girl
1990 & 1992 Off Site
2002 & 2003 Fort Wilderness
2004 Disney Wonder & Fort Wilderness
2005, 2008, 2011 & 2013 Riverside
2006 & 2008 Pop
2009 Disneyland
2011, 2013 & 2014 Coronado Springs
2012 CB Pirate Room
2015 POR
2016 June & Oct Off Site
2017 Sept Coronado!
-
(Do not trust anyone that tells you the studios is a "short walk" from the Boardwalk.)
LOL. Actually, we walked from the Studios to Boarwalk and then on to Yacht Club this summer after Fantasmic. We were surprised at how short the walk was! Maybe the difference was that it was late in the evening and the temperature was comfortable. I certainly wouldn't want to take that walk in 90 degree humid weather.
"Dream'nDisney"
1989 HJ (Downtown Disney area)
1991 CBR
1997 CBR
1998 CBR
2000 POFQ
2002 CSR & Poly
2004 POR
2006 AsM & BC
2010 YC
2011 YC
2014 YC
2016 YC
-
-
sounds great, i agree Roaring Forks flatbreads are yummy
Dec.11-18, 2021 Port Orleans Riverside
Jan. 25-Feb. 1, 2017, Port Orleans Riverside
Oct. 29-Nov.4, 2014-Yacht Club
Dec. 17-23 2011-Wilderness Lodge
Dec. 20-30, 2008-Pop Century
Dec. 25,2005-Jan.1, 2006-Coronado Springs
Jan. 1-7, 2003-All Star Movies
-
every bit of this is very good "food for thought"
" I'm Grumpy cause you're Dopey "
CSR MAR 2012
POR Jan 2012
WLR Christmas 2010
CSR July 2010
A S Sports- Agst 2009
CBR - ESPN Weekend 2009
CSR - ESPN Weekend 2008
POR - Sept 2007
YC - July 2006
POR - Christmas 2005
GRUMPY DUDE
-
Thank you for this post! Taking my 2 year old in May for the first time..should definitely be a different experience..
*bRiTTaNy*
35 trips to WDW already...
May 2012 - Daughters first trip - one bedroom Villa at Wilderness Lodge
Sept 2012 - Pirate room at CBR
Dec 2014 - SSR -second daughters first trip and my older daughters 5th Birthday!!
-
My son Loved Loved Loved all the Mickey stickers he was given everywhere, there are still some in the car...
Upcoming:
October 2013
8 nights at Pop Century with Free Dining to celebrate DS turning 4 years old!!!!
Share This Thread On Social Media:
Share This Thread On Social Media:
Posting Permissions
- You may not post new threads
- You may not post replies
- You may not post attachments
- You may not edit your posts
-
Forum Rules
|
|
Share This Thread On Social Media: