Your A #1 Top Disney World Tip

So that's how Boom got his Hummer.

 

Since humor is encouraged -- Bring the grandparents.
Let them deal with the stress of the park and buying all the overpriced food and merchandise in the park while Mommy and Daddy Lugnuts spend time relaxing at the hotel pool, hotel spa, the other hotel amenities and a day of vacation away from the little Luggies.

 

21 and Joe: I WISH!

I'm trying to get my parents to go. Right now, we have a room reserved at one of the monorail hotels for that very reason-- I need to be able to get back quickly to feed/nap the baby. Well, my mother is balking at the cost of the monorail hotel rooms... and yet, if she goes, she insists on being in the same hotel as the grandkids. Well, I've got my room on the monorail, and I ain't budging. Nothing can ever be easy, can it?

21, Great idea about the present at the end.

What's the fast pass? How much is it?

 

Fast pass: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/fast-pass/

We took all of Boom's nieces/nephews last year, the Fast Pass saved us from serial meltdown (mine and the kids).

Works sort of like a reservation so you're not standing in line for two hours. I think you can only have one Fast Pass at a time...you go to a ride you want to get on, the Fast Pass machine tells you what time to come back, scans your ticket, and you go back at that time slot, no waiting (or relatively no waiting). You have to plan out your day, but it's a great way to avoid the endless lines.

As for your parents...it would be great, but if it doesn't work out, you'll be fine. You're there to be with the kids, and you will be crushed if you go out and see something amazing and they're not with you.

Forgot to mention the Character breakfasts, way overpriced but all the characters are there, lots of princesses and photo ops. Make reservations early.

 

My tips:

1. Get the fast pass - waiting in line too long with little lids make things much harder than they need to be.
2. Skip space mountain completely - way over-rated and possibly the longest line in the park
3. Do breakfast with the characters - better food than you think and the kids get a kick out meeting Donald, Mickey, Minnie, Winnie, etc. One of my favorite things about the park.
4. Do Animal Kingdom - little kids love animals
5. Don't do Epcot - your kids are too young and personally I think it is the worst of all the parks in Disney
6. If you are feeling down about yourself - go to the Orlando WalMart and you'll have a "I felt bad because I had no shoes until I met a man with no feet" momment

 

These are great tips.. Thanks. I'd never even heard of Fastpass.

What are good rides/attractions for a 4 year old ?

Do they still have It's A Small World and the Teacups?

 

Just, for the love of God, don't do Captain EO. Probably the sappiest production ever made.

 

Lugz, when were you last there?

There are some great guidebooks, get them, especially the 'unofficial' guides that give you the real inside info, not the Disneyfied versions. Some of those guides tell you exactly how to map out a day, when to get which pass, how to attack the parks. Worth it.

For example, I never would have known that the parks are pretty empty right after the afternoon Main Street parade, when most families with little kids go back to rest or swim or take a break. The whole place empties out, with good reason, but a great time to do the park if you want to start late one day.

One more thing, since I'm on a roll (tide!)...the weather is erratic and volatile, can be hot during the day and freezing at night, or rainy or cold or steamy. Bring everything just in case or you will spend a fortune on $80 Minnie sweatshirts (for yourself).

 

I went with my then fiancee about four years ago, so we did not have kids.

- Fast pass - cannot say enough about this.
- Plan on spending at least one day in each park, especially if you are tethered with kids.
- Stay as close as you can if the infant needs to get back for a nap.
- Go in January or another time when school age kids should be in school.
- The character breakfast at Sesame Place was well worth it. I would be pissed if my kid didn't get to see the freaking mouse during the trip, and you are assured the mouse will be there if he is scheduled.
- I would hit Epcot with kids but for only certain things.

Do they still have Small World? Really? Of course they do.

 

21 is right, the "unofficial guides" are gold.

 

If you go to Epcot, be sure to go to the French dessert place, awesome stuff