We saw, we conquered and are finally back home from WDW. Pics are coming but in the meantime, here is what I learned by traveling with 3 kids all under the age of 10 to a MASSIVE place full of laughs, tears, tantrums, boredom, aching feet, headaches and Mickey Mouse:)......
1: As much as I love and adore Epcot, young kids don't quite understand it so after 2 hours, my kids were ready to leave and the constant, "I want to go home" out of my 3yo was heard loud and clear. So for this reason, ALWAYS purchase a park hopper pass, no questions.
2: Scheduled dining meals aren't exactly ideal. They take way too long and you lose a large chunk of your day waiting on food and checks to come. Also, if you get a late start to your morning and you have lunch at 12:30, you're not even hungry but have to eat anyway. Then, because it takes so effing long, dinner is here before you know it and you aren't hungry for that meal either, but you have a reservation. Next time, only key dining will be reserved, all else will be done at the quick service locations as several are able to accommodate food allergies.
3: Despite the time suck of reserved dining, I learned that it's best for one person to sit and wait on the meals to arrive while others take the kids on a quick ride if possible. Keeps the boredom in check;)
4: Even if your 6yo is great at walking, get a double stroller, no questions! Also, even though I brought my own double stroller against my hubby's wishes, Kingdom Strollers (.com) is a popular stroller rental option that I considered. If you rent a Disney stroller, you will realize real quick how much of a hindrance and expense they are. I know my hubby won't admit it, but I know he's glad we did end up bringing our own.
5: After witnessing how long autographs from characters took, I will NEVER entertain the idea of allowing my kids to purchase autograph books. They are a time suck for everyone else waiting to meet Mickey and friends. Just get a photo and move along.
6: If you plan on using the Disney PhotoPass cards, take a picture of the number on back just in case you lose your pass somewhere along the way.
7: If you are traveling w/someone w/food allergies, pre-order meals as those always take the longest to prepare.
8: Before waiting in ANY line, ask every child if they need to go pee and if they say, "no", let them know they won't be able to go for a LONG time. It's amazing how all the sudden they all have to go;)
9: If you are fortunate to have a washer/dryer in your room (we did), check ALL pockets before doing a load of wash. More maps and Mickey stickers were shredded into soggy messes all over our clothes than I'd care to admit.
And finally....
10: Don't rush the day, everyone will enjoy it so much more! Yes, you will miss a ton, but no one will ever see all of WDW in a few short days. Just see what you can and plan a trip back to see other stuff you missed:)
As soon as I finish editing my photos on my camera I'll start posting all our fun!
Sunday, October 7, 2012
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1 comment:
Sounds like so much fun!!! We're doing DL next week, and it's always been a ton of work...the meltdowns are the hardest for me to be patient through, but they're happiness is always worth it. Maybe someday we'll spend the money to try Florida instead. Good to know the thing about the 6 year old needing the stroller. That's what I figured. We have a double stroller, and Scott thinks crystal will be walking while the boys sit, but my hunch is that Jake will be in the carrier most of the time and the other two will end up in the stroller.
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