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Mommy's Thoughtful Spot


First Time Tips for Parents - October 4, 2011

Planning
Travel planning can be one of the most difficult parts of a vacation, especially when you travel with children, but it can also be a great deal of fun.

Picking Your Hotel
 When planning where you want to stay, the Walt Disney World official website is a great source of information, easy to access and easy to navigate. (Imagine, we had to write to Disney and get a packet of information mailed to us in order to plan our first trip in 1989!)  The resorts are categorized according to price and amenities: Deluxe, Moderate, and Economy. The website lets you know what types of sleeping accommodations and which special amenities are available at each hotel.

Every Disney Resort hotel has a theme that runs through the décor. For example, The Polynesian Resort has a South Pacific theme with the rooms divided into “Long Houses” named after the different Polynesian Islands. The main pool is made to look like a lake surrounding a volcano with a waterslide coming right out of the middle. You can even find specially themed rooms in some of the resorts: the Caribbean beach has pirate themed rooms!  You can tour pictures of every hotel found on the premises, including shots of the room interiors.

Do your price and location research first, then, when you have your choices narrowed down, let the kids help make the final choice. It makes them feel as though they are involved with their vacation planning and it helps start the fun before you even pack.

Packing
Before you pack for Disney, you need to consider ALL of the parks you will be going to. If you plan on visiting the water parks, take water shoes with you. Not only in the ground hot, but the bottoms of the pools are a touch rough; there is no glass allowed in the park, but better safe than sorry.

Hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen are a must, no matter which park you visit or when you’re visiting. Remember that you are going to Florida and the weather is always warm in the summer, with typically moderate temperatures throughout the rest of the year. Check the extended weather forecast on-line before you go and pack accordingly. I’ve also found that making a list can be  extremely helpful. Make a list of everything that you think you will need, and then cut it in half. If you don’t, you will find that you have over-packed. Pack 2 to 3 days before you leave. If you pack too early, you will find that you are second guessing yourself about what to take and the kids will drive you crazy asking when you are leaving. I found that out the hard way!

Car Travel  
When you travel by car you can take more with you, but resist the urge; you are going to need to leave plenty of room for souvenirs! I highly recommend packing a picnic lunch as there are plenty of rest stops along the interstate highways; this is also a great way to save a few dollars.

We have typically traveled down the East Coast on the I-95 corridor and, on  occasion, through the Shenandoah Valley, but we have always found a rest stop when we have needed one. No matter the time of day or your “schedule,” you will have to stop to stretch your legs and use the facilities on occasion – no matter WHAT anybody says! *A useful piece of information- the last time we drove to Disney World, we discovered that Georgia closes the rest stops at 11PM! If you are planning to drive late at night through Georgia, I would go to the Georgia State website to see if that has changed.*

Keep your children occupied! A bored child can make any drive seem unending. Coloring books & crayons, travel games, and books can be a Godsend. Let each child pack their own bag with things to do in the car, that way they take ownership of their own amusement. A word of caution: limit the video games, as I’m sure that the constant beeping can drive you crazy. If your kids insist on taking video games, limit the time that they play them.

Another tip: make up your own games. Before one of our earlier trips, I created The License Plate Game: make a list of the 50 states and the Canadian Provinces. The kids then search the highways for cars with the different license plates and check them off the list. (Calling them out when you find them can be entertaining too!) It’s a fun, educational activity and it really kept my girls occupied. When we finally reached Disney World, they each got an ice cream sundae as a prize!

DO NOT forget the snack bag! Everyone, including you, will get the munchies on a long car ride, and you simply cannot stop every time someone wants something to eat.

Parking/Resort Transportation
Parking on Disney Resort property is complimentary for resort guests. Once you get to your hotel, park your car and forget about it! Walt Disney World Resort guests can use Disney transportation to every guest area there is, with buses typically running from your resort to the theme parks every 10 to 15 minutes. Going to Downtown Disney or the water parks? Then the buses are about every 20 minutes.

Monorail transportation will take you from the Magic Kingdom to Epcot and back; you can also ride the Monorail from Magic Kingdom Resorts to the Magic Kingdom. Riding the Monorail system is an experience in and of itself; if your kids are anything like mine, they will quote the recordings over and over again.

Boat travel is available, too! Check at your hotel to see what kind of transportation services that particular resort.

Plane Travel
Plane travel can be very challenging for a family at any age, and we did not travel by plane until my youngest was 9 years old. A good thing to remember- every person who has a seat can have 1 piece of carry-on luggage and one personal item (i.e. purse, backpack, camera case, etc.). Pack a small carry-on for each child with fun things to do on the plane, BUT DON’T OVERFILL IT. Remember, your child will be responsible for it (otherwise you will be carrying it) and they will be able to put their souvenirs in this bag on the way home. Take your time getting off of the plane. From our experience, everyone is in a rush to get off the aircraft, but the worst thing that you can do is be in a hurry, no matter how anxious you are to get to Mickey. Make sure you have all of your belongings (and all of your children): a calm slow pace will help set the mood for the rest of your vacation.

Laundry
Laundry was a big concern for me, especially when my children were younger. Every Disney resort has a guest laundry, usually located near the pool (or one of the pools, depending upon your resort). You can find the exact location by consulting the resort map found in your check in materials. You will need a lot of quarters as the wash and dry cycles were $2.00 each the last time I was there and the machines only accept quarters. Luckily, there are change machines in the laundry rooms that accept one and five dollar bills. The machines are fairly large, so you will probably be able to get away with doing only one or two loads during your stay.

Powdered soap and fabric softener are also available for sale, but I’ve found that packing the all-in-one laundry sheets found in your local supermarket can cut costs considerably. Laundry time can also be alone time! There are places for you to sit and relax while you are doing the wash: take advantage of it. I always bring a book with me to read. I find that this gives me just the break I may need, and all my children are ADULTS!

Strollers
If you are able to bring your stroller from home, do it. Some airlines offer complimentary stroller check in at the gate, and you will save on renting in the park. If it is not possible, don’t worry: strollers are available for rent at every park. Disney even has two seater strollers, in case you have more than one small child. Wheel chairs are also available for rent if you need them.

Favorite Stuffed Toys/ Video Games
Children need their cuddles, so take them with you, but lay your ground rules before you leave home. If your children are especially attached to the toys they are bringing with them, then the cuddles stay in the hotel room, no exceptions! The last thing you want to deal with is losing your child’s favorite toy.

Video Games also need to stay in the room as well. There is so much going on that there will be no time for the kids to play them in the parks. The kids will not want to carry them and you will get stuck doing it. Be firm- NO means NO!

Most of all, remember that this is going to be a great vacation. If you forget something, don’t stress, you can buy it there. Every Disney resort has a convenience store for necessities. You can also travel to Gooding’s supermarket at Crossroads Center; it is right off of Disney property near the Marketplace, so you will need a car (or a taxi) to get there. They may be a little pricey, but incredibly convenient.

Have a Disney Day!