We live in Florida and are two and a half hours away from Disney World. We have seasonal passes that allow us to come and go as we please, and over the past couple of years have figured the park out cold. So we’re sharing what works and what doesn’t with small children, where to eat a good meal, and how to maximize time in the park without dealing with crowds.
Here’s the advice my wife gave to a friend in a recent email:
As far as Disney is concerned, here’s my input (based on about 15 trips in the last few years):
Staying at the Contemporary is key. It’s so easy to walk to and from the Magic Kingdom. I’d book a breakfast at the Crystal Palace one morning. It’s in the park, decent food, and it includes characters like Winnie the Pooh. The key is to get to the rides as early as possible. So if the park opens at 9am, I’d book an 8am breakfast so you can be among the first people to hit the rides. If you don’t choose to eat at the Crystal Palace, I’d still make a reservation there 30 minutes before the park opens. That way you can get into the park early and you can basically just wait for the rides to open.
Definitely go to Fantasy Land first. That’s where you’ll spend most of your time (Peter Pan, It’s a Small World, Winnie the Pooh, carousel, Dumbo, other kid-friendly rides.) Try to get on as many rides as possible as early as possible. By 1030 or 11am, it starts getting crowded.
Your kid will probably love the Buzz Lightyear ride in Tomorrowland. And, I kid you not, he might love the PeopleMover (also in Tomorrowland.) There is never a wait, but my kids love the people mover for some reason. There’s also the Carousel of Progress in Tomorrowland and the Monsters Inc. show.
Oh, and the Pirates of the Caribbean is GREAT if he’s into pirates. It’s not too long of a line, and it’s a beautiful, long ride.
For lunch, we usually make a reservation at Tony’s Town Square. It’s decent Italian food right by the front entrance to the park. Tony’s is decent for dinner, too.
At 3pm is the Dreams parade, which is basically a 10 minute parade that includes all of the characters from Disney. We usually find a good place to watch it in Liberty Square.
Other options for food: In Tomorrowland, there’s a place called the Starlight something or other. It has Bay 1 (chicken dishes), Bay 2 (burgers), and Bay 3 (veggie options). It’s fast food (no reservations, just walk up to a counter), but very good. They have chicken fingers, hamburgers, and a really good veggie wrap. Chicken soup was great.
In the Contemporary Hotel, there’s Chef Mickeys. Terrible food, but the kids love it because Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, etc. all dance around while you eat. We’d book breakfast there early enough so that we’d still get to the park by the time it opens. I’ve never had lunch or dinner there, but it’s an option for both I think.
California Grill in the Contemporary is excellent, but very nice. Probably not what you’re looking for, but if you’re desperate for a good meal it’s worth checking out. (All restaurants, even the nice ones, have good kids menus).
1900 Park Fare in the Grand Floridian has a Mary Poppins breakfast and (I think) dinner if you need a change of pace.
Other than that, you’ll looking at mostly fast food in the park. The places get PACKED from 1130-230, so I’d eat early or late if possible.
Call 1-407-WDW-DINE to make dining reservations. And call me or email me if you have any other questions. I can tell you about Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and MGM if need be, too.
Vielen Dank! Das ist ein wirklich hilfreicher Beitrag für alle Familienväter, die nach WDW kommen wollen!
Ja! Und der haus von der maus ist serh groß!
Muss ich auf Deutsch hier schreiben ??
We’re moving back East next month and I’m sure Disney will be in the vacation plans one of these years. It’s good to have insider information!
Just linked to your blog from FB and am enjoying your insights (particularly about kids and technology–get with it AAP!).
Larry,
Great suggestions. I’ve gone twice with kids similarly-aged and I’d only add the following:
If you have very young kids, Mickey’s Toontown Fair is as important as Fantasyland. Hitting it early will mean light lines to get pictures with Mickey & Minnie. In addition, Goofy’s Barnstormer rollercoaster is perfect for kids who want the thrill, but don’t meet the height requirements of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Finally, the water at the fountains is very drinkable. Save money by buying one or bringing your own water container and filling up at the fountains along the way.
Can’t wait to go back and bring the family again!
Victor
Good tips! Forgot about Toontown.
Thunder Mountain was surprising for us – we didn’t even consider going on it with our kids. But with a 40″ height requirement, both kids could ride!