Just booked my first trip to WDW

[SebastiansDisneyMama]

Just booked my families first trip to WDW. September 25 - Oct. 2nd. Can't wait. Any advice for a firs timer to WDW who is an old DLR vet would be appreciated. It's me the hubby and our 1 and 4 year old sons. We will be celebrating both there birthdays there.(a little early, but hey so I guess call them 2 & 5). Have any of you had the birthday suprise sent to your room? How was it?? I've done this at DLR and loved it. I was also wondering if we should do the Not so Scary Halloween party. Does WDW have the same rules for masks with costumes? My son want to be the skelton Jack Sparrow!:mickey:

[dixielandings]

You're going at a really good time of year. Should be nice!

Make Dining reservations - mix up your meals too. Some dinner, some lunch, some breakfast.

With the little ones, plan time for rest. Know the attractions that are quiet and dark; go back to the Resort for a nap; etc. You're going for a nice long week so you shouldn't feel like you have to go at breakneck speed.

Where are you staying?

[DakotaDisney]

You are going to have an awesome time!!

You will find lots of good advice and input all over this site.

Have a wonderful trip!!!:mickey:

[epceddie]

Don't miss Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.
The parade is a lot of fun, kids can trick or treat for candy and a lot of people dress up in costumes.
Also, the fireworks display is out of this world.
We love the start of the parade when the Headless Horseman rides through the park.
My wife and I liked it so much that we went on a Tuesday during our last trip and decided to buy tickets for the following Thursday and do it all over again.
If you can, stake out seats on the second floor of the Railroad Station about an hour before the fireworks.
It's a great spot to watch the fireworks exploding behind the Castle and the parade comes right at you down Main Street U.S.A.

[wire0monkey]

Get an Unofficial Guide and use it for planning. I find their crowd calendars and "no plan" touring plans invaluable. They have really thorough information on resorts and restaurants. It's my bible.

Make sure you have ADRs for any sit-down meals that you want.

[WelshieLover]

My advice with children ages 1 and 4, is to just watch for signs of fatigue. When our sons were 2 and 4 we took them to WDW for the first time in October. It was our 4 year old who had a couple melt downs at dinner our first 2 nights of our trip. We realized that even though he did not need a nap, he did need some down time in the middle of the day. So we would take both of them back to hotel and perhaps sit by the pools or try to encourage a rest - reading books to him etc. The rest of our trip went off without a hitch just by making sure he was not over stimulated.

We found getting to the parks for early openings worked best because they were still early risers:thumbsup:, not so much any more now that they are older.

One more thing, get a stroller for both of them. DLR is so much less spread out. Even though our 4 year old never used a stroller at home it was a must at WDW.

[SebastiansDisneyMama]

We are staying at the All Star Movie Resort. My son loves Toy Story and this looked perfect. I actually got a double stroller just for this trip. Can I take it on all the various transportation??

[faline]

You an stollers with you. On buses and trams, they will need to be folded. Oftentimes, you can directly push them onto boats and monorails.

[KAT1811]

You can take your stroller on all the various WDW transportation options. Keep in mind that you do have to fold the stroller on the busses.

We are a family of 6 (DD12 1/2, DD2 1/2, DD 3 1/2, DS 3 months, DH, and myself. We are WDW vetrans and have taken the children at every age imaginable (we go just about every year DD#2 was 3 1/2 months on her first trip)!

A few tips. . .

For us we go all day and our children nap extremely well in the stroller. We plan a pool day every couple of days where they have a nap in the room and a relaxing day.

You may want to invest in fans that clip onto your stroller and circulate the air for them. Florida can get quite hot (I'm sure you know coming from AZ) and the fans tend to keep them cool. (If you want the website PM me and I'll send it to you)

They have splash areas in MK and Epcot so I suggest bringing a change of clothing if you plan on letting them splash. One year DD#2 had a blast running and splashing around at Epcot while everyone took turns riding Test Track and Mission Space but by the time we were done she was soaked and we had to buy her a new outfit. Now I go prepared!

I'm not sure how big your 1 y.o. is but I swear by my Baby Bjourn for getting on certain rides. It makes juggling a little one while walking on the moving platform much easier since you have both hands free.

Character meals are a great way to see characters without waiting in line and it gives the kids something to occupy themselves with while you enjoy your meal.

MNSSHP is a great time! The fireworks are fabulous and the trick-or-treating is a blast for kids. How often do you get to trick-or-treat in WDW?

The KidCot Funstops in Epcot are a must for little ones when touring World Showcase. They get to make a mask, color it at each country, and collect a paper charm from each country. They love it and it gives you a chance to see the countries a little more in depth than you would without them occupied. My kids love the "scavenger hunt" they get to have around the countries looking for the Fun Stops.

I'm sure there are a zillion more I can think of and will try to post as I remember them! Have a great time!!!

[KAT1811]

Already thought of a big one!!

When touring the Magic Kingdom try to make a breakfast ADR prior to park opening (we LOVE Crystal Palace) and then after breakfast when the park is finally opening (or first thing if no breakfast) head straight thru the castle to Fantasyland and ride all the rides. You will have little to no wait in lines that will grow huge in the afternoon. I have seen 90 - 120 mintue waits at Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh in the afternoon but when we rode in the morning we either had no wait or maybe a 5 - 10 minute wait!

[Figment78]

The biggest differences that I think a DLR vet will experience in WDW are

1. Dining. There are SO many options in WDW, comparatively speaking. And you should make ADRs, especially if you want a high demand character breakfast or popular restaurant.

2. Immersion. Going to DL, even if you stay at a Disney resort, is like going to two theme parks. Being in WDW is like being in a whole city. Once you cross over onto WDW property, it's truly amazing how much they have to offer - from mini-golf to spas and water sports to .... it's just huge....

2.b. Because it's so big, you can't do it all! Especially with young kids. So pick out which rides/attractions/restaurants/etc are your must-do's and then plan accordingly. Take advantage of the early extra magic hours, especially at Magic Kingdom for the fantasy land rides.

3. It can still be very warm in Sept/Oct in florida.

4. Epcot - While a lot of MK & DHS rides are "represented" in DL (Tower of Terror, etc), there is nothing like Epcot in DL, particularly the World Showcase. Even though you have little ones and it seems like it's for adults, be sure to visit it. My DS loved Mexico at the age of 13 months, and just generally enjoyed the colors and sounds and sights. It's just really cool. Same with future world (even though DL has Soarin). There's a lot of neat stuff there that you can't find in Disneyland.

5. Animal Kingdom. Like Epcot, this is unique to florida. But in September, it can be hot (See #3) and everything in this park is primarily outdoors, so be prepared for the heat that day.

6. Fellow travelers. Where DL has a large amount of day visitors, WDW is mostly vacationers. For some reason, this just makes for a different experience. It's fun though - and the amount of diversity is very cool.

Enjoy!!!

[KAT1811]

. . . particularly the World Showcase. Even though you have little ones and it seems like it's for adults, be sure to visit it. My DS loved Mexico at the age of 13 months, and just generally enjoyed the colors and sounds and sights. It's just really cool. . .

I couldn't agree more!!! Actually, my children LOVE World Showcase and we always spend at least two days in EPCOT. They love it!!

[BluewaterBrad]

Have fun!!:mickey:

[SebastiansDisneyMama]

Thanks so much for all the advice. Here in AZ Sept. Oct. Can still be 115 degrees. So my big concern is humidity. We can handle heat, but humidity kills us. Went to Hawaii when the 4.5 year old was 5 months. It was only 80 and we melted! LOL I can do 110 with no problem here in AZ. Deffnitly will get the clip on fan they have them in the Wal Mart here. What about one of those large sun shade things? Glad to here about the Crystal Palace breakfast. I do the same thing in DLR. At least that will seem some what the same to the 4 year old. We took him to DLR the first time when he was 10 months. He learned to walk there! So behind on the 1 year old. And he is huge he is 32 inches tall and about 30 lbs. He will be almost 2 when we go! He has been long out of his Baby bjorn:( I'm so glad to here I can take the stroller on the monorail. DLR had a rule up until resently that you couldn't do it. Not even folded up. But then it's not a long walk from the hotel. I'm so excited I don't know if I'm going to make it til September. This is the trip of my dreams! Oh yeah it's all for the kids. My husband and I will also be celebrating our 12 aniversary. Has anyone used the in room sitting? Any suggestions. We would realy like to go to Victorias and Alberts if I Can get a reservation that is.