Need your expert tips and advice!

[familyof5]

My family (myself, husband, & 3 kids/ages 12, 10, 8) is taking our first trip to Disney World in a few weeks... December 10-18!! We're staying at PORS and are driving from WI.

Is there anything special we should be aware of as newbies? Whether it be Holiday related or just plain old Disney tips or advice for this time of year at the Parks. Thanks much :)

[Disney4us2]

Check out the other resorts. The Grand Floridian has a life size gingerbread house. I just found out that Beach Club Resort has a chocolate carousel.

At Disney's Hollywood Studios has the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights.... incredible:thumbsup:

Have fun:mickey:

[sassafras]

First of, enjoy yourselves! You will not be able to see everything the first time you go to DW. There's just too much to see and do. With that said, make sure to make use of the Fastpass system for the really popular rides like Soarin', the Test Track, Toy Story Mania, etc. You will save yourselves a ton of time waiting in lines. You get your fastpass, go do something else and come back to the ride and pretty much walk on unless the parks are really crowded. Be sure to go see the Osborne Family lights at Hollywood Studios one evening. That's something to see! Also get a PhotoPass and use it. With the parks being decorated for the holidays, you should be able to get some awesome photos of the family taken. The different resorts will be decorated for the Holidays and it's fun to go to each resort and see all of the holiday things. POR is always decorated wonderfully, and they usually have some type of Cajun Christmas music in the lobby (at least they did when we stayed there at Christmas one year.). They offer carriage rides around the resort in the evening and the price isn't too bad and that might be fun to do. Like I said before, the main thing to do is enjoy your first (and probably not last) trip to DisneyWorld! Enjoy the Magic!

[dmallan]

Make sure you take the boat from POR to Downtown Disney. It is a great ride and a nice change from the buses. (Although, you're driving so you may or may not plan on using the buses.)

[jmj18]

I agree...Grand Floridian Gingerbread House and the Osborne Lights. So beautiful.

:mickey:

[familyof5]

Thanks for all the great tips, everyone! I'm so excited, just like a kid at Christmas!

Yes, we plan on taking the buses the majority of the time while at the World, so the boat will be a great change of pace! After the 22 hour drive down to FL, I think we'll leave the transporting to others :)

[Hair_Razor]

Have a great time! Enjoy and remember if you don't see it all go back next year!:D As for a tip, for me one of my favourite things to do is at the the Magic Of Disney Animation learning how to draw with a Disney animator. You and your kids can enjoy it together.:number1:

[Strmchsr]

Keep a check on the weather forecast thread in this forum. December weather can be incredibly variable and getting caught unprepared can make for an uncomfortable trip.

[faline]

You don't mention what you've done to prepare for your trip. I do hope you've made advanced dining reservations for those places on your must-do dining list.

I always recommend you make a plan of which park(s) you plan to visit on which day(s). Keep it a bit loose so you can take advantage of things that pique your interest along the way. You certainly don't want a schedule that is so strict that if it's 9:15 a.m., you MUST be in line for Peter Pan! Do list your must-do rides and attractions for each park. Cross those off your list first. After you accomplish what you and your family want to do in a park, the rest is, essentially, gravy!

To complicate things, you not only have all the wonderful things that are always at Disney, you also have all the wonderful holiday happenings to vie for your attention. Some things are certainly must sees - the Castle lighting ceremony; the Osborne lights in Disney studios; the decorations at Wilderness Lodge and Grand Floridian; and the Candelight Processional.

Do you plan to attend the Christmas party? It's fun but can be pricey for a family.

Make good use of fast pass. If you don't know how to use it, get one of the park maps and read the instructions. Despite what you might hear, it's free and available to everyone in the parks!

Don't overdo. It's tempting to try to do it all but not possible! Don't stress if you miss something. I've been multiple times and still miss things each trip! If you're overtired, return to your resort, and rest or, if the weather is cooperating, spend some time at the pool. You'll all enjoy your trip more if you take the time to slow down and relax sometimes - that might mean an early evening spent in your room or an afternoon nap, or some other sort of down time.

Expect that something will go wrong. When you travel, something always goes wrong. Chalk it up to the experience of traveling and go with the flow. You'll have a much better time!

[MagicalGuest]

A general park tip: if you get to any park near opening, don't start with the attractions near the entrance, as they will be the most crowded. For instance, at MK walk or take the train to Frontierland and try SM or Big Thunder Mountain RR, or walk to Fantasyland and hop on Pan, before the big crowds get there. And definitely use the FastPass system. Have a great trip!

[wdwfansince75]

Learn and use the Fast Pass System Note that while it is not written anywhere, once the return time arrives, you can use that FP any time that day, not just for the one hour window.

Parks close earlier. Try to be at your park of the day at opening. Considering ages of your kids, plan to do morning Extra Magic Hours, but do not plan to do evening EMH...crowds are larger than normal for at least the first two hours of the 3 hour EMH.

Not sure if you have Park Hoppers, so I am assuming you will do one park per day. Check out park hours for your visit. Even in December, if you are early risers, consider scheduling your parks based on morning Extra Magic Hours. (not as important for EPCOT or AK as for MK and DHS).

If you have a child who does not do, or does not want to do the Mountains or other roller coasters, use the child swap...get fast passes for the ride...when your fast pass time arrives, approach the Cast Member at the FP entrance...One parent and the 2 riding kids go through the fast pass line, do the ride while the reluctant child and parent #2 do something else...Than Parent #2, with the swap card, and the 2 riders go through the fast pass line again, while parent #1 and the reluctant child wait, or enjoy something else.

Try to do at least one character meal. A bit late to get the favorites, but if you are flexible with your time, there are usually openings. Find out where your kids' favorite characters dine. Among our favorites are Donald's Safari Breakfast at AK, Crystal Palace (any meal) at MK and Garden Grill (dinner only) at EPCOT.

Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary or 1900 Park Faire at the Grand Floridian are both great character meals, and allow you to experience the monorail, and visit the resort to enjoy the Christmas Decorations.

Get a guide book...almost every book store has several good ones. There are also some good ones for kids...makes good reading on long trips, like your drive...have each of the kids pick one (or more) must do's...

At your resort, get park maps and time guides for all parks when you check in...plan your next day while your kids are winding down....take their inputs...almost every attraction is a walkon right after opening. Parks close earlier in DEC, so if you can, be at your park of the day at opening...first hour or so is great....shorter lines, great chance to do the must do's. Every park has some great things to do when the crowds grow in the PM.....

With or without park hoppers, plan at least 2 full days at MK. If possible, plan one day when there will not be the seperately ticket Christmas Party...Parks close even earlier on the evenings with the christmas parties.

It gets cool (not cold) most evenings in Dec...sweaters or sweat shirts are a must. But if the kids wear sweaters and sweat shirts to the park in the AM, plan to carry the sweaters and sweatshirts in the afternoon...they will need them again after sundown.

Always something to do, even when parks close early. Consider an evening or so at Disney Quest. Also consider using special transportation as attractions....take bus to MK, and ride the monorails...for instance, if you decide not to visit a park on your arrival day, take the bus to the MK entrance, and ride the monorail from there to Transportation and Ticket Center...then take the EPCOT monorail (which allows you to see the park) and then take the bus from EPCOT back to your hotel.

[disney_daddy]

The best advise I can give you is try to time you drive so you miss rush hour in the big cities. When we drove (from Indiana) I always try to hit Louisville, and Nashville during off times, but the biggest thing that we'd do, is that we'd alway go through Atlanta between midnight and 5 in the morning.

[BigThunderFan]

Biggest piece of advice for any time visiting WDW, get there early, take breaks, have a plan, and don't overstretch yourselves!

You have no idea how much you can get done in the first couple of hours before people get there, it is amazing. Use the Fastpasses, and remember that you can still use them after the return time (just not before).

Have a plan for each park. It doesn't have to be exact or too strict, but at least have the park maps looked over before you go. Don't be the person that walks into Magic Kingdom and stops right inside the train tracks to look at the map and figure out where you want to go. Know before you go, and have the first few rides (most popular ones) planned out. Then you can hit the less popular (read: "Shorter Lines") ones after the park starts getting busier around 11am or so.

I am the opposite of some others on here, I recommend avoiding the EMH parks. Sure they are great for about an hour, but then are more packed than any other day.

Also know what entertainment you want to see. Parades and fireworks also take some planning because people will start reserving spots up to 2 hours in advance! If you don't want your kids standing 3 deep behind a bunch of people trying to see Main Street Electrical Parade, plan where you will watch from and what time to be there.

If you are at the parks early you can get most things done before 1pm. Leave and take a break. Nap, or swim in the pool if it is warm. Just get out of the park for a little while, it will increase your overall enjoyment. Don't try to go from open to close, trust me, I made this mistake a couple years ago with our first trip with kids. The boy would have a meltdown and not want to do anything else after a long day in the parks, and the girl would fall asleep waiting for Wishes. The break makes such a huge difference in your day, trust me!

Have fun! Remember, you are in Disney World, just enjoy what you can do and take time to notice the details. Some of the most magical moments may come when you least expect it (my kids LOVED the baby ducks at our resort!) be prepared and have your camera ready! :mickey:

[2MuchWDFun]

Biggest piece of advice for any time visiting WDW, get there early, take breaks, have a plan, and don't overstretch yourselves!

You have no idea how much you can get done in the first couple of hours before people get there, it is amazing. Use the Fastpasses, and remember that you can still use them after the return time (just not before).

Have a plan for each park. It doesn't have to be exact or too strict, but at least have the park maps looked over before you go. Don't be the person that walks into Magic Kingdom and stops right inside the train tracks to look at the map and figure out where you want to go. Know before you go, and have the first few rides (most popular ones) planned out. Then you can hit the less popular (read: "Shorter Lines") ones after the park starts getting busier around 11am or so.

I am the opposite of some others on here, I recommend avoiding the EMH parks. Sure they are great for about an hour, but then are more packed than any other day.

Also know what entertainment you want to see. Parades and fireworks also take some planning because people will start reserving spots up to 2 hours in advance! If you don't want your kids standing 3 deep behind a bunch of people trying to see Main Street Electrical Parade, plan where you will watch from and what time to be there.

If you are at the parks early you can get most things done before 1pm. Leave and take a break. Nap, or swim in the pool if it is warm. Just get out of the park for a little while, it will increase your overall enjoyment. Don't try to go from open to close, trust me, I made this mistake a couple years ago with our first trip with kids. The boy would have a meltdown and not want to do anything else after a long day in the parks, and the girl would fall asleep waiting for Wishes. The break makes such a huge difference in your day, trust me!

Have fun! Remember, you are in Disney World, just enjoy what you can do and take time to notice the details. Some of the most magical moments may come when you least expect it (my kids LOVED the baby ducks at our resort!) be prepared and have your camera ready! :mickey:

I agree with Big Thunder Fan--even about EMH. The exception for EMH is if you have Park Hoppers, go to the EMH in the AM and then leave the park around 11 when it starts getting busy; then take a break (or go to lunch) and then head to a non-EMH park for the afternoon where it will be less crowded.

[familyof5]

To All Who Posted:mickey:

Yes, my family will be avoiding the EMH, both morning & evening, because I heard they're crazy busy! I'm quite a planner, and since we do NOT have Park Hoppers, I had to pre-plan which parks we'll be visiting and on which days. I also have ALL of my ADR's all set in accordance to those days(did it months ago). My itinerary has special events that we don't want to miss and soon the kids, hubby, and I will be choosing a few of our "must do" attractions, so I can put them on the schedule. It's just hard because we've never been there!

This is my Park Plan of Action: Day 1 AK (Tuskerhouse Breakfast), Day 2 MK (me & lil' lady at Ciderella's Royal Table/Boys at Liberty Tree Tavern-both lunch); Day 3 EPCOT(Akershus-Dinner); Day 4 "off day" rest & beach(Whispering Canyon-Breakfast);Day 5 HS(SciFi- Dinner; Day 6 AK(Yak & Yetti-Dinner);Day 7 MK(Crystal Palace-Lunch). On the day we leave, Chef Mickey's for brunch.

Now all we have to do is pray it doesn't rain on our our AK days!

Thanks so much to everyone who has posted on this topic...I truly appreciate it! What a wealth of knowledge you all have. Love the different views, it's really helpful!

MagicalGuest:The tip about not going to the closer rides first is a great one, I don't think I would have thought of that :)

Faline: I wanted to go to the MVMCP, but with 5 of us, I've decided it's just going to be more than I want to spend. I guess we'll just visit the other resorts that night instead!

wdwfansince75: WOW! Thanks:thumbsup:

disney_daddy: What a great driving tip, I'll let my husband know...he can be in charge of figuring that out:D

[faline]

Faline: I wanted to go to the MVMCP, but with 5 of us, I've decided it's just going to be more than I want to spend. I guess we'll just visit the other resorts that night instead!

I can understand that. These days, it's typically just my husband and myself - big difference, having to buy 5 tickets versus 2!